Police remove credit card skimming device in Shelbyville, expect there to be more across Kentucky

SHELBYVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A Shelbyville grocery store found an illegal credit card skimming device in a check out lane and police said there could be more throughout Kentucky.

"This is the only Save-A-Lot here in Shelbyville," said Renee Clark, a longtime Shelbyville resident. "A lot of people rely on it for their groceries. It was the manager who noticed the credit card skimmer in one of their checkout terminals."

Clark is proud to say she's avoided two scams in the last two years.

Illegal credit card skimming device. (Source: Shelbyville Police Department)

"I'm smart enough to know, you don't do that," Clark said.

One was an email and another was a phone call.

"I consider myself to be aware," Clark said.

Because she is aware, Clark said, it doesn't surprise her to know another type of scam was in the works so close to home.

"It can happen to anyone," Clark said.

On July 8th, the Shelbyville Police Department helped the Shelbyville Save-A-Lot manager remove an illegal credit card skimming device from the store.

"These types of crimes are very safe for the perpetrators because they don't have to be in physical proximity of their victims," said Sgt. Kelly Cable, a Shelbyville Police Department Officer.

Cable said the company sent out a notice after skimmers had been detected in groceries in Lexington.

"If you don't feel comfortable, don't use it," Cable said.

Cable said to avoid becoming a victim, don't use checkout equipment with mismatched key colors and hard to press key pads.

Experts also said to tap a credit card instead of swiping or inserting it.

"If you have family members and they're also using the cards as well -- let your teenager borrow the card and make sure you know what they purchased, and tell them to also to be aware of the skimmers that are out in the community," Cable said.

Dr. Alex Del Carmen, a criminologist based in Fort Worth, Texas, said ATMs and gas stations are prone to skimming.

He also said skimming scams have annually cost financial institutions more than a billion dollars.

"Just imagine the volume and the gravity of the victimization when it comes to that," Del Carmen said. "There's different ways of doing it. As you can imagine, technology has allowed for criminals to be more creative. And unfortunately people that are older, perhaps more more vulnerable."

Clark wonders if cash is the way to go.

"This is my hometown Save-A-Lot., so I'll keep coming," Clark said.

If you've shopped at a Save-A-Lot here in the Kentuckiana area, check for unfamiliar purchases. The charges usually occur in small increments and then gradually become larger.

"One of the best things to do is to monitor your accounts daily," Cable said.

On Facebook, the department said, "We ask that when you go to pay for your items in any store to look at the equipment where you insert or swipe your card very closely. If you see something that looks suspicious contact the store manager and have them to check the equipment before you insert or swipe your card."

If anyone has information on this incident, please contact the Shelbyville Police Department at 633-2326 or Crime Stoppers at 633-4500.

The Shelbyville Police Department is still working to find out how long the Save-A-Lot skimmer had been installed.

WDRB reached out to Save-A-Lot for a comment but hasn't heard back.

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