Abstract:
The invention relates to blocking fraudulent gathering of credit card and debit card information during a legitimate payment transaction at a credit/debit card reader. The invention includes the installation, preferably in a non-uniform manner, of blockers onto one or more faces or surfaces of the card reader. Properly installed blockers will tend to prevent the easy installation of a flush mounted skimmer device that is designed to overlay the legitimate card reader at a store or point of sale location such as a gasoline pump.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    None. 
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    None. 
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    This invention relates to preventing credit card data theft and protecting credit card transactions from compromise by thieves. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    Credit cards and now debit cards are carried by most Americans and by many around the world. Undertaking the quick swipe of such cards to carry out transactions is now a way of life. However, such transactions are vulnerable to sophisticated thieves seeking credit card information and using that information for other thefts and fraudulent transactions. One new manner of obtaining such credit card information is to put skimmer devices on credit/debit card readers at point of sale purchase locations such as gas pumps at gas stations and at vending machines, and also at credit/debit card devices at checkouts in stores and markets such as grocery stores, convenience stores, department stores and similar retail and wholesale establishments. 
         [0005]    Many efforts are being undertaken to harden the infrastructure of the credit and debit card systems, but while those efforts are ongoing, thieves continue to gather data and use it to steal millions of dollars from banks and financial institutions as well as fraudulently obtain goods and merchandise from vendors. Theft prevention may take many forms and it will probably take many different tactics to limit and reduce such crime in the face of smart and inventive criminals. As with all human endeavors, cost is always a consideration. A low cost and simple tactic can be very helpful while more involved and more expensive tactics are also being developed and deployed. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
       [0006]    The invention more particularly includes relates to a process for blocking fraudulent gathering of card data during an authentic transaction by installing a card reader for undertaking payment transactions through the use of a credit or debit card wherein the card reader has at least one face presented to the customer wherein one or more blockers is also installed onto at least one face of the card reader in a manner to prevent the innocuous installation of a flush mounted card skimmer device over the card reader. The blocker would preferably be a three dimensional structure having a thickness that would create a noticeable space between a skimmer device and a card reader when the skimmer device is attempted to be laid flush over the card reader. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    A more complete understanding of the present invention and benefits thereof may be acquired by referring to the follow description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0008]      FIG. 1A  is an exploded perspective view showing a skimmer device and a credit/debit card reader to process credit and debit card information for a purchase transaction; 
           [0009]      FIG. 1B  is a perspective view of the skimmer laying flush over the credit/debit card reader in a manner where the skimmer is intended to be unnoticed, but where the credit/debit card data may be collected during a legal purchase transaction for later illegal and fraudulent use; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2A  is a side profile of the skimmer laying flush over the card reader; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2B  is a cutaway side profile of the skimmer showing a credit card ready to be swiped through the card reader with a reader/memory device in the skimmer for illicitly capturing the credit/debit card information; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2C  is a perspective view of the skimmer laying flush over the card reader with a credit card positioned for swiping through the slot to effectuate the intended transaction while the credit/debit card data will also be illicitly captured; 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view similar to  FIG. 1 , with blockers according to the present invention positioned to frustrate the tight and unnoticeable installation of the skimmer on a card reader; 
           [0014]      FIG. 4A  is an exploded side profile view showing the card reader with a blocker according to the present invention preventing the skimmer device from nesting flush over the card reader and exposing the presence of the skimmer on the card reader; 
           [0015]      FIG. 4B  is a side profile view showing the card reader with a blocker according to the present invention preventing the skimmer device from nesting flush over the card reader and exposing the presence of the skimmer on the card reader; 
           [0016]      FIG. 4C  is a cross section view showing the blocker preventing the skimmer device from nesting flush over the card reader and exposing the presence of the skimmer on the card reader; 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  is an exploded perspective view of another form of card reader that is typically at a point of sale device such as a gasoline pump or vending machine with a skimmer device oriented to overlay the reader and illicitly capture data from legitimate transactions; 
           [0018]      FIG. 6A  is an exploded side elevation view of the card reader with the skimmer oriented to slide tight and flush over the card reader; 
           [0019]      FIG. 6B  is a side elevation view of the card reader with the skimmer fitted tightly and flush over the card reader in a manner that will likely go unnoticed by all but the most attentive customer or attendant; 
           [0020]      FIG. 7  is an exploded view similar to  FIG. 5  with blockers according to the present invention positioned to frustrate the placement of a skimmer over the card reader; and 
           [0021]      FIG. 8  is a side elevation view better showing the skimmer being blocked from nesting tightly and fully over the card reader. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0022]    Turning now to the detailed description of the preferred arrangement or arrangements of the present invention, it should be understood that the inventive features and concepts may be manifested in other arrangements and that the scope of the invention is not limited to the embodiments described or illustrated. The scope of the invention is intended only to be limited by the scope of the claims that follow. 
         [0023]    As shown in  FIGS. 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, and 2C , a credit/debit card reader is generally indicated by the numeral  10 . The card reader  10  includes a slot  15  at the right for sliding a credit card or debit card for completing a purchase or payment transaction. The card reader  10  further includes a screen  18  and buttons  19  for displaying transaction information and taking additional information such as personal identification numbers (PIN) or zip code information or other authenticating information. 
         [0024]    Aligned to fit over the card reader  10  is a skimmer  30 . The skimmer  32  is a device created by thieves for collecting credit card and debit card information illicitly and surreptitiously, while neither the vendor, the customer nor the attendant are aware. A thief may position the skimmer  30  by distracting the attendant with a request for a package of cigarettes that require the attendant to turn his back toward the card reader  10  for a few seconds. The thief may have the skimmer  30  within a jacket and quickly slip it over the legitimate credit/debit card reader  10 . The skimmer  30  may be left in place for a period of time to collect credit and debit card information. The skimmer includes memory (not shown) and card reader device  32  keeping track of each card run through the credit card slot along with any key strokes inputted during a legitimate transaction. 
         [0025]    After a period of time, the thief will come back to the store recover the skimmer for downloading the data now collected. It is not inconceivable that the thief may come into the store to swap out skimmers  30  putting a new one over the credit/debit card reader  10  to collect additional information while the first skimmer  30  is taken back for downloading information. 
         [0026]    The present invention has been created to provide a simple, low cost method of interfering with thieves and their fraudulent efforts. The invention is more particularly shown in  FIGS. 3, 4A, 4B, and 4C  as blockers  41  and  42 . The blockers  41  and  42  are three dimensional structures constructed or robust material such as an acrylic and glued or adhered onto the credit/debit card reader with a strong epoxy. Only one blocker  41  or  41  is needed to meet the basic intent of the invention, but additional blockers should be inexpensive and would create a randomness to the card readers  10  and would require more time for the thief to try and remove to fit the skimmer  30  onto the card reader  10 . The blockers  41  and  42  may be installed anywhere on the front of the card reader  10  where the skimmer  30  may be expected to cover. It is preferred that the blockers  41  and  42  would have an appealing look such as logo information for the store and have an irregular shape, such as one that would go with a logo. If there are more than one card reader  10  in a store, each such reader may and should preferably have a different arrangement of the blockers  41  and  42 . 
         [0027]    As best shown in  FIGS. 2B and 4A , the reader  10  has an axis (as shown) along which the credit card or debit card is slid along the card slot  15 . Without the blockers  41  and  42  in place, the skimmer axis would align with the reader axis when the skimmer  30  is arranged flush with card reader  10 . With the blockers in place, as best shown in  FIGS. 4B and 4C , the thickness dimension of the blockers  41  and  42  would alter the respective axes so that they are prevented from aligning. While this misalignment may be enough to prevent the skimmer  30  from illicitly capturing the credit or debit card information, more ideally the unauthorized presence of the skimmer  30  on the card reader  10  will be revealed to the attendant and the customer and the skimmer  30  will be removed. The actual thief may not be easily caught, but frustrating the efforts of the thieves is the primary purpose of the blockers  41  and  42 . 
         [0028]    Manufacturers of carder reader devices all have their own proprietary shape, look and feel. The blockers  41  and  42  are hopefully useful with all such arrangements. The thieves have surely figured out how to make very convincing looking covers for the most common card readers. As the inventors were first presented with the problem of skimmers  30 , they were told that one of the skimmers  30  that were recovered prior to the thief being able to return to the store and recover the skimmer and the data thereon, that the reason it was noticed is that the skimmer cover appeared very new and was covering a card reader that had been quite beat up and scratched. In this case, the store owner, cashiers and consumers were lucky that the new appearing skimmer  30  turned out to be quite noticeable. However, law-abiding store owners, cashiers and innocent consumers should not have to depend on luck alone to help prevent illegal credit card skimming. 
         [0029]    In the second application, some card readers require the credit or debit card to be inserted into the device and then pulled back out. Such a card reader is shown in  FIGS. 5, 6A and 6B  and indicated by the number  60 . A skimmer  70  is designed to overlay the insertion type of card reader  60 . The skimmer  70  includes some type of reader  72  along with some embedded memory (not shown) and is intended to be innocuous and unnoticeable. As shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8 , blockers  41  are positioned on flat or generally flat surfaces to block the installation of a skimmer. The blockers  41  are round dot type blockers while blocker  42  is shown with a triangular profile. Other shapes are also suitable. Being an inexpensive but robust material such as a rigid plastic is ideal, but wood and metal blockers would work if a strong adhesive were used. As shown in  FIG. 8 , the skimmer  70  will be quite noticeable if left loosely on the card reader  60 . 
         [0030]    In closing, it should be noted that the discussion of any reference is not an admission that it is prior art to the present invention, especially any reference that may have a publication date after the priority date of this application. At the same time, each and every claim below is hereby incorporated into this detailed description or specification as an additional embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0031]    Although the systems and processes described herein have been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions, and alterations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the following claims. Those skilled in the art may be able to study the preferred embodiments and identify other ways to practice the invention that are not exactly as described herein. It is the intent of the inventors that variations and equivalents of the invention are within the scope of the claims while the description, abstract and drawings are not to be used to limit the scope of the invention. The invention is specifically intended to be as broad as the claims below and their equivalents.