ALERT: Self-Checkout Theft Risk At Idaho Walmart, Target Stores
Self-checkout has been rising in popularity over the past decade as a way to cut time off the wait at markets throughout the United States. A new, troubling trend might cause some to pause when deciding whether or not to make themselves both the grocery scanner and bagger in the future.
For those of you who would rather scoot through the self-checkout line than deal with overly chatty sales associates, coupon users, customers whose debit cards get declined, or any myriad of other reasons that cause lines to stall, you might want to heed a new warning. Reports of criminals using Bluetooth technology to rip off personal information from store customers are on the rise, according to the-sun.com.
It's always a good idea to regularly check bank statements and transactions online for any suspicious activity. Banking apps make it very easy to monitor personal accounts at all hours of the day.
The way these crimes work is the perpetrator uses wireless communications to access a customer's banking information. The process is called bluesnarfing. I know, I had never heard of it until today either.
Card skimming is another example of how this technology can be used in carrying out these fraudulent transactions. The Sun's recent report further stated that the Romanian mob might be behind some of these crimes targeting U.S. consumers.
It's always a good idea to regularly check bank statements and transactions online for any suspicious activity. Banking apps make it very easy to monitor personal accounts at all hours of the day. Be aware of your surroundings when in line at the store as well.
For more information on how to protect yourself from falling victim to these crimes, click here.
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