SHOPPERS have been warned to be vigilant using cash machines after a skimming device was found on one.

Fraudsters are believed to have obtained the details of a woman’s debit card after she used a cash machine at Barclays Bank in Newland Street, Witham.

The device read the woman’s card details and recorded her PIN number.

The information was used to withdraw £130 from her account from another cashpoint.

Police have warned people to look out for such devices.

Crime reduction officer Peter Caulfield said: “Be aware and alert when withdrawing cash.

“Try and make sure your PIN is kept private when entering it into the keypad and be swift to remove both the card and the money.

“If your card gets ‘stuck’ in the ATM, contact your bank or card issuer immediately to get the card cancelled. If you see any signs of a skimming device, please call 999 to contact Essex Police immediately as the offenders will usually be close by, monitoring activity at the ATM.”

Police say many skimming devices have two components – one to retain the card in the cash machine and the other to capture the PIN. Alternatively, they can capture a customer’s card details while a fraudster stands nearby watching them enter their PIN several times as they are frustrated in getting no response from the cashpoint.