Justice for Victims of Identity Theft, Jail for Skimmer

A Calgary man was arrested and faces four years in jail for manufacturing and selling credit card skimming devices. Nicholas Wayne Joehle used his apartment as a base of operations, but did business from as many as ten Internet cafes in the downtown Calgary area. He sold the illegal devices over the Internet for about $5,000 each.
Skimming occurs when someone runs a credit card through a hand-held device that stores the account number, expiration date, and other information. Waiters and retail cashiers have been known to employ this method, quickly swiping a customer’s card when no one is looking. The devices themselves are so small that they can be used subtly. Other skimmers have implanted such devices in gas pump card readers, returning to collect the harvested information at a later time. It’s a fast-growing type of credit card fraud, and no one is immune.
To protect yourself, pay in cash if you feel uneasy about handing your card over to a waiter. Keep an eye on your card at all times. And always monitor your credit card statements and credit score for unauthorized activity. Thieves thrive when their victims do nothing; contact your card company immediately if you see anything suspicious.