Payment card overlay skimmer detection
Devices and methods for detecting credit card skimmers are provided herein. A device can include a printed circuit board having a pattern of electrical traces on its surface, and a computer readable medium comprising instructions that cause a processor to direct an electrical voltage to a trace and detect an electrical current between two points of the trace. A gap can be disposed between the two points across which a voltage is applied in order to detect a magnetic reader. A count of the detected magnetic readers within a credit card reading device may be indicative of the presence of a credit card skimmer.
1. A device for detecting a presence of a credit card skimmer, the device comprising:
a printed circuit board (PCB) comprising a pattern of electrical traces on its surface, wherein the PCB is configured to be insertable into a credit card reader or scanner; and
a non-transitory machine-readable medium in operable communication with the PCB and comprising instructions stored thereon that, when executed, cause at least one processor to at least:
direct an electrical voltage to a trace of the pattern of electrical traces;
detect at least one instance of electrical current between two points of the trace in response to the presence of a read head providing an electrical contact between the two points of the trace, wherein the pattern comprises a gap disposed between the two points;
increment a counter based at least in part on a number of detected instances of electrical current between the two points of the trace;
identify a number of read heads based at least in part on the number of instances of electrical current between the two points of the trace; and
provide an indication of the presence of a skimmer in response to the number of read heads exceeding a predefined number.
2. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the electrical traces are flat.
3. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the PCB comprises a first end and a second end, wherein an analysis system comprising the non-transitory machine readable medium and at least one processor is disposed at the first end, and wherein the pattern of electrical traces extends to the second end.
4. The device according to claim 3 , wherein the two points of the trace comprise a first two points of the trace, wherein the pattern of electrical traces comprises, at the second end of the PCB comprises a first gap between the first two points of the trace and a second gap between a second two points of the trace, and wherein in a read head provides electrical contact between one of the first two points and the second two points in response to the device being inserted into a credit card reader.
5. The device according to claim 4 , wherein a first point of the first two points and a first point of the second two points are in electrical communication with one another.
6. The device according to claim 5 , wherein the first point of the first two points and the first point of the second two points are in electrical communication with the analysis system along a first trace portion, wherein a second point of the first two points is in electrical communication with the analysis system along a second trace portion, wherein a second point of the second two points is in electrical communication with the analysis system along a third trace portion.
7. The device according to claim 6 , wherein the analysis system processes signals from the first trace portion, the second trace portion, and the third trace portion to establish a number of read heads.
8. The device according to claim 1 , further comprising a button, wherein the device enters a read head detection mode in response to receiving a signal from the button.
9. The device according to claim 1 , further comprising a light source, wherein the light source provides an indication of operational state.
10. The device according to claim 9 , wherein the light source comprises a light-emitting diode.
11. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the indication of the presence of a skimmer comprises a light-emitting diode disposed on the printed circuit board.
12. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the gap disposed between the two points comprises a gap that is bridged by the read head as the device passes the read head.
13. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the printed circuit board comprises a thickness and a width of that of a credit card, and the trace is positioned on the printed circuit board at a position corresponding to a magnetic stripe of a credit card.
14. A device for detecting a presence of a card skimmer, the device comprising:
a printed circuit board (PCB) comprising a pattern of electrical traces on its surface, wherein the PCB is configured to be insertable into a credit card reader or scanner, wherein the pattern of electrical traces comprises a first gap between a first two points of the trace and a second gap between a second two points of the trace, wherein a read head provides electrical contact between the first two points and contact between the second two points in response to the device being inserted into a credit card reader; and
an indicator configured to provide an indication of the presence of a skimmer in response to a number of read heads detected in the credit card reader exceeding a predefined number.
15. The device according to claim 14 , further comprising a non-transitory machine-readable medium in operable communication with the PCB and comprising instructions stored thereon that, when executed, cause at least one processor to at least:
direct an electrical voltage to a trace of the pattern of electrical traces, and
detect an instance of electrical current between at least one of the first two points of the trace and the second two points of the trace in response to the presence of a read head providing an electrical contact between the two points of the trace, wherein the pattern comprises a first gap disposed between the first two points of the trace, and a second gap between the second two points of the trace.
16. The device according to claim 14 further comprising an analysis system comprising the non-transitory machine readable medium and the at least one processor, wherein the analysis system is disposed proximate a first end of the PCB, wherein the first gap between the first two points of the trace and the second gap between the second two points of the trace are disposed proximate a second end of the PCB, opposite the first end.
17. A device for detecting the presence of a credit card skimmer, the device comprising:
a printed circuit board (PCB) comprising a pattern of electrical traces on its surface, wherein the PCB is configured to be insertable into a credit card reader or scanner; and
a non-transitory machine-readable medium in operable communication with the PCB and comprising instructions stored thereon that, when executed, cause at least one processor to at least:
direct an electrical voltage to a trace of the pattern of electrical traces wherein the pattern of electrical traces comprises a first gap between a first two points of the trace and a second gap between a second two points of the trace;
detect at least one instance of electrical current between at least one of the first two points of the trace or the second two points of the trace in response to the presence of a read head providing an electrical contact between the two points of the trace, wherein the pattern comprises a gap disposed between the two points;
identify a number of read heads based at least in part on the number of instances of electrical current between the two points of the trace; and
provide an indication of the presence of a skimmer in response to the number of read heads exceeding a predefined number.
18. The device according to claim 17 , further comprising a button, wherein the device enters a read head detection mode in response to receiving a signal from the button.
19. The device according to claim 17 , further comprising a light-emitting diode, wherein the light-emitting diode provides an indication of operational state.