Hospital ATM Fitted With Skimmer a Second Time

For the second time this year Fairfax County Police have found a skimmer device on an ATM at Inova Fairfax Hospital.

The ATM machine, near the gift shop at the hospital, was found to have a skimmer device on it on Tuesday. A hospital employee noticed that the input slot for the card was loose and wobbly, and when she inserted her bankcard, the device fell off. Police believe the device may have been on the machine for weeks.

In August, a similar device was found on the same machine. Lucy Caldwell, a spokeswoman for Fairfax County police, said it’s possible the two incidents could be related.

“We wouldn’t be surprised if we got reports of more fraudulent charges from people’s accounts,” Caldwell said. “Hopefully people will pay close attention to their bank statements.”

The skimmer on the ATM at the Inova hospital in Falls Church was the second report this week. Police found a skimmer on an ATM in the lobby at the Inova Fair Oaks Hospital. Police said in the Fair Oaks case, a hospital security guard discovered the device after being notified of the prior incident. Caldwell said neither machine is owned or monitored by Inova.

Police urge people who may have used either of these machines in recent weeks to check their bank statements closely.

If there is a discrepancy, people should contact their bank, and call the police at 703-691-2131. They may also make an online report or learn more about financial crime scams at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/police/financialcrimes/.

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