News

Skimming alert for US Postal Service kiosks

May 14, 2014

Following reports of theft from counterfeit debit cards, the United States Postal Inspection Service is investigating the possibility that skimmers have been attached to automated stamp vending machines, according to KrebsOnSecurity.

“Earlier this month, I began hearing from sources in the banking industry about fraudulent debit card activity on cards that were all recently used at self-service stamp vending machines at U.S. Post Offices in at least 13 States and the District of Columbia,” wrote Brian Krebs, the investigative reporter who writes the KrebsOnSecurity data security blog.

The debit card fraud, which began in late November 2013, has been traced back to self-service stamp vending machines in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Nebraska, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Utah, Virginia and Washington, D.C., Krebs wrote.

Thieves are targeting debit cards and somehow stealing the PINs as well to make cash withdrawals at ATMs ranging from $500 to $800 per card, according to Krebs.

USPIS told Krebs in an email that it is asking USPS employees and customers to visually inspect Automated Postal Center machines multiple times during the day.