Credit card skimming devices have been discovered at Walmart locations across several states, prompting police investigations and warnings to shoppers. A recent discovery was made Tuesday, April 9, at a self-checkout register kiosk at a Walmart in Bayonne, New Jersey, according to police.
This finding follows similar reports in states including Georgia, Virginia, Pennsylvania and Washington, highlighting a widespread threat to customers’ financial information. Authorities are urging vigilance and offering tips to help shoppers protect themselves from becoming victims of this crime.
Authorities in Bayonne said the skimmer was reported around 10 p.m. Police released photos of the device, which is designed to fit directly over the actual card machine. When the device is removed, its wiring is visible. This is the second skimming device reported in Bayonne in the last three weeks, with a previous device found by a customer at a Dollar Tree store in March. Earlier this month, another card skimmer was reported at a 7-Eleven in Cinnaminson. Bayonne police continue to investigate the incident at Walmart, and no arrests have been made yet in connection with this specific case.
In Lee County, Georgia, investigators are probing the discovery of a card skimmer found on a card scanner at the Ledo Road Walmart. While investigators are unsure if any customer card information was stolen in this particular case, the alleged scammers were reportedly captured on security cameras placing the skimmer onto a register on Feb. 2. The device itself was not discovered until Feb. 18.
The sheriff’s office stated, “They never even got to retrieve the skimmer or any stored card numbers before it was discovered and seized.” The Lee County Sheriff’s Office made a Facebook post about the case, referring to the suspects as “These wannabe hackers” and adding, “thought they could slap a card skimmer onto a checkout station at the Wal-Mart on Ledo Road and get away with it.” Images of the alleged scammers have been released, and the sheriff’s office is asking for the public’s help to identify them and provided a phone number for information.
A man has been arrested in connection with a string of card skimmer incidents at multiple Walmart locations in Central Virginia. ABC13 reported that a Romanian man identified as Florin Doroiman was arrested near Richmond and is facing an array of charges across the region. In Bedford, police said they found a skimmer at the Walmart on Lynchburg Salem Turnpike and plan to charge Doroiman with ten felony counts of credit card theft, each potentially carrying up to 20 years in prison, as well as a misdemeanor charge for possessing the device.
Lynchburg police also reported a register was compromised at the Walmart on Wards Road, stating the skimmer was found during a routine morning equipment check. Doroiman currently faces three charges in Lynchburg: two felonies and a misdemeanor for credit card theft, use, and possession of the skimmer. A customer who shopped at the Wards Road Walmart around the time, Kisha Burton, told ABC13 that she noticed issues with the self-checkout and needed clerk assistance. She began watching her account after the news broke and, thankfully, reported nothing missing so far, but continues to monitor it. In Amherst County, the sheriff’s office found a skimmer at the Walmart in Madison Heights and believe EBT cards may have been compromised. Doroiman has been charged with a misdemeanor there for installing the skimmer. Authorities recommend that anyone who shopped at these specific Virginia stores on Feb. 25 or 26 should check their bank statements.
Pennsylvania authorities have also reported card skimmers found at Walmart locations. Wilkes-Barre Township police alerted residents to the discovery of two credit card skimming devices found on cash registers at a local Walmart back in December, according to WNEP.com. A suspect has been identified as Florin Doroiman, accused of placing the devices. Authorities allege the skimming devices illegally gathered roughly 4,600 account numbers, in addition to more than 1,000 SNAP benefit accounts.
In Washington state, a law enforcement investigation has linked a 23-year-old man to credit-card skimmers found at multiple Walmart stores. Charging documents filed in Pierce County Superior Court allege one device was found at the Puyallup Walmart self-checkout on Aug. 30, 2023, five days after surveillance footage allegedly showed it was installed. The Puyallup Police Department’s investigation connected the man to devices placed at Walmart twice in Puyallup and once each in Lacey and Lynnwood between Aug. 25 and Sept. 25, 2023.
According to charging documents, at least 726 “customer access devices” were used at Walmart registers while a skimmer was installed. The man accused in the Washington case is not currently in custody, according to court records. He faces two felony counts: unlawful factoring of transactions and unlawful factoring of transactions – second or subsequent violation, the latter potentially carrying a sentence of up to 10 years in prison or a $20,000 fine, or both. Investigators identified the defendant through surveillance video and Department of Licensing records after Walmart contacted law enforcement in September 2023 regarding individuals seen installing a device in Lynnwood and leaving in a specific vehicle. Cell-phone data also allegedly placed the defendant’s phone at the stores when the skimmers were installed. Surveillance video also allegedly showed the defendant installing the devices alongside two other people who were sometimes two other males, two other females, or a mix.
Skimming devices are sophisticated tools used by criminals to steal sensitive card information, according to the FBI. They are often installed on the outside of legitimate machines like point-of-sale terminals, ATMs, or fuel pumps, but are cleverly made to look identical to the original equipment, making them hard for unsuspecting customers to recognize. When a customer swipes or inserts their card, the device captures data. In some cases, criminals also use hidden pinhole cameras or keylogging keypad overlays to record customers’ PIN numbers.
Once captured, the stolen card information can be stored on the skimmer device to be downloaded or wirelessly transferred later. This data is then used to create counterfeit payment cards or to make unauthorized online purchases or steal from an account. The FBI estimates that skimming costs financial institutions and consumers more than $1 billion each year, highlighting the significant financial impact of this crime. The widespread nature of these findings at common retail locations like Walmart demonstrates the ongoing threat to everyday shoppers.
To help protect themselves, experts and law enforcement agencies offer several tips. The FBI recommends inspecting self-serving terminals like ATMs and self-checkouts, looking for anything that appears loose, crooked, or damaged on the transaction pad and card reader. Lightly pulling at the edges of the keypad before entering your PIN can sometimes reveal an overlay skimmer. It is also crucial to cover the PIN pad as closely as possible when entering your number to prevent hidden cameras from recording it. These simple checks can often deter criminals or reveal tampered devices.
Additional recommendations include using ATMs in well-lit areas and being particularly alert at locations like tourist areas and gas stations, which can be targets. Some experts advise against using debit cards tied to linked accounts. A key protection is to review your bank statements regularly for any fraudulent transactions and report them immediately. The Better Business Bureau also suggests paying close attention to the device itself, asking if it “look[s] like everything else,” and strongly recommending using contactless “tap” payment technology when available, as it is currently considered more secure than chip or swipe methods.
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