If you’ve used your credit or debit card at the Compass vending machines on the Canada Line route this week, you might want to check in with your financial institution.
Metro Vancouver Transit Police said in a release that Vancouver City Centre and YVR Airport stations were targeted specifically on July 8 by card skimmers.
‘Card skimming’ involves criminals installing a small device into a machine, like ATMs for example, that can capture and store all the details from the card’s magnetic stripe.
“Staff members do regular checks on the compass vending machines to see if there’s been any tampering,” said spokesperson Anne Drennan.
“It was during one of their checks that a couple of alert Canada Line staff members discovered the skimmers in place.”
She says the skimmers at the airport station had not been there before Sunday, but the timing for Vancouver City Centre is undetermined.
“Out of an abundance of caution, all customers who used their debit or credit cards in the compass vending machines at one of those two stations on Sunday from the start of service until 5 p.m. that same day are asked to check with their financial institution,” Drennan said.
It’s still unclear if any card data has been obtained.
An investigation is underway.