Your computer at home is not the only place where it pays to be suspicious these day. ATM and PosiPay machines are prime places to look over your shoulder, literally. Always look around you before entering your code. That part is just common sense. These days you should also be aware that there might be a tiny camera watching the keypad, so just for safety’s sake shield your input with your body or other hand.

Watch for skimmers, appliances that may be added to a cash machine to pull your data off the magnetic strip. Some are clunky and easily spotted while others are high-tech and look just like the real thing. For more information on what to look for see David Daw’s article, Anatomy of an ATM Skimmer Scam.