Guides / Connect your assistant

Connect SkimGuard to your AI assistant.

SkimGuard exposes its skimmer-scan data to AI assistants over the open Model Context Protocol (MCP). Once you connect it, you can ask your assistant things like “is the Shell on Riverside flagged for skimmers?” or “check today's drive for reported card-skimmer activity.”

Endpoint https://mcp.skimguard.io/mcp
Setup steps Then: what to do with it
  • Endpoint: https://mcp.skimguard.io/mcp
  • Cost: the safety-lookup tools are free and need no account.
  • Transport: Streamable HTTP (not SSE, not stdio).

This page is the one-time setup. For what to do once you're connected, see For consumers and For businesses.

A note on account tiers

Everything a traveler or shopper needs — checking a place, a route, or nearby activity — is on the free public tier and needs no sign-in. Only businesses looking up their own locations sign in (see For businesses); that's the one case that uses a SkimGuard account.

ChatGPT

Requires Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise, or Edu — custom connectors need Developer Mode, which the free plan doesn't have.

  1. Settings → Connectors (on some accounts it's under Settings → Security, or a workspace admin controls it). Enable Developer Mode / custom MCP connectors.
  2. Add a custom connector:
    • Name: SkimGuard
    • URL: https://mcp.skimguard.io/mcp
    • Authentication: None
  3. Save, then enable SkimGuard in a chat.

Claude (claude.ai, Desktop, mobile)

  1. Settings → Connectors → Add custom connector.
  2. Paste https://mcp.skimguard.io/mcp, leave authentication set to none, and if asked for a transport pick HTTP / Streamable HTTP.
  3. Save. The SkimGuard tools appear in the tool menu.

Businesses: when you ask for your own location data, Claude will offer to sign you into your SkimGuard account (a one-time consent screen). See For businesses.

Grok (x.ai)

Grok added Bring Your Own MCP in 2026.

  1. Go to grok.com/connectors → New Connector → Custom.
  2. Enter https://mcp.skimguard.io/mcp. Leave authentication empty for the free public tools.
  3. Save. Grok discovers SkimGuard's tools and offers them in conversations.

Gemini

Gemini's support depends on your plan:

  • Gemini Ultra (Spark): Ultra subscribers can add SkimGuard themselves. In the Gemini web app, open the custom-apps / connectors screen and add https://mcp.skimguard.io/mcp (leave authentication empty for the free tools).
  • Gemini Enterprise: a Workspace/Cloud admin can add the same URL as a custom MCP server (Streamable HTTP) in the Google Cloud console — the path for a business already on Gemini Enterprise.
  • Gemini CLI: the developer command-line tool supports MCP servers via its config, if you're comfortable with a terminal.
  • Standard consumer Gemini (free / Pro): custom connectors aren't available at this tier yet — you'd only see Google's curated partner integrations. Use ChatGPT, Claude, or Grok for now, or a Gemini Ultra plan.

Gemini's connector surface is evolving quickly; if these tiers have shifted, look for “custom apps,” “connectors,” or “MCP” in the Gemini settings.

Quick check that it's working

Ask your assistant:

Paste into your assistant 
Use SkimGuard to look up card-skimmer scan status for a gas station in Austin, TX.

If it comes back with a location, a scan count, and a safety caveat, you're connected. If it says it doesn't have a SkimGuard tool, re-check the steps above.

Assistant support at a glance

AssistantConnect it yourself?How
ChatGPTYes (paid plans)Developer Mode → custom connector by URL
ClaudeYesSettings → Connectors → add by URL
GrokYesgrok.com/connectors → Custom → URL
GeminiUltra / Enterprise / CLIUltra & Enterprise add by URL; standard consumer tier not yet

Setup screens change as these products evolve. If a menu has moved, look for “Connectors,” “MCP,” or “Developer mode” in settings.

Sources for setup steps: OpenAI — Developer mode & MCP apps · Anthropic — Custom connectors · xAI — Connectors · Google — Gemini Enterprise custom MCP server

Now use it

Connected? Here's what to ask.

The setup is done once. Pick the guide that fits — free spot-checks for travelers and shoppers, or paid tools for your own business coverage.

For consumers For businesses