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For journalists covering card skimming.

Expert commentary, a public community safety map, privacy-preserving aggregate data for research, story angles, and a press kit — the resources reporters and editors need to cover how card skimmers work and how they're being detected.

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Read this first

SkimGuard detects skimmers that transmit a Bluetooth signal. A clear result is not a guarantee that a terminal is safe — it cannot detect a purely mechanical or non-transmitting skimmer. We ask that coverage reflect this, and that consumers are reminded to check card readers physically as well.

What we can offer newsrooms

Sources, context, and a public dataset lens.

SkimGuard, Inc. works with reporters covering payment fraud and consumer protection. What we can provide:

  • Expert commentary and interviews on how card skimming works and how detection works — on the record or on background.
  • Context on the magstripe-to-chip shift and why some cards, like many EBT cards, remain vulnerable to skimming.
  • A public community safety map at map.skimguard.io, showing where scans have happened.
  • Privacy-preserving, aggregate data for researchers and journalists through SkimGuard's data-licensing program.
On data and privacy

Any data SkimGuard makes available to journalists or researchers is aggregate and privacy-preserving. SkimGuard does not share individual user identities or personal data. We're happy to walk through the methodology and its limits so coverage is accurate.

A note on numbers: this page is a resource, not a statistics sheet. We don't publish invented figures here — if your story needs data, reach out and we'll discuss what's available and appropriate through the data-licensing program, with its limitations clearly stated.

Story angles

Directions reporters are pursuing.

A few angles that come up often — offered as suggestions, not claims:

  • EBT and SNAP benefit theft — why benefits cards are disproportionately targeted, and what it means for households that rely on them.
  • Gas-pump skimmers — how they're installed and why fuel dispensers are a persistent weak point.
  • Holiday-season fraud spikes — how skimming activity shifts around high-traffic shopping periods.
  • Businesses turning existing Wi-Fi into skimmer sensors — the move toward always-on detection on hardware retailers already own.
  • Consumer self-defense — the practical habits and tools people use to protect their own cards.
Related resources

Background reading on specific threats: gas station skimmers · ATM skimmers · EBT & SNAP protection · payment security · network skimmer detection.

Press kit & contact

Assets, logos, and how to reach us.

  • Media kit — company background, screenshots, and imagery on the press page.
  • Logos and brand assets — download-ready files and usage notes on the brand guidelines page.
  • Press contact — email sales@skimguard.io for interviews, background, data questions, or anything you can't find in the kit.

We aim to respond quickly to reporters on deadline. Tell us your outlet, your angle, and your timeline, and we'll route you to the right person.

Working on a story?

Let's get you what you need.

Reach out for an interview, background, or a conversation about privacy-preserving aggregate data for your reporting.

Contact press Press & media kit Data licensing