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Skimming

Skimming is a method of stealing credit card information by using a small, handheld electronic device that scans and stores card data from the magnetic strip. It can be done manually by a corrupt employee while out of sight (usually at restaurants or bars) or by criminals who place a skimming device on top of a regular credit card reader (usually at gas stations or ATMs machines) and retrieve it later. The stolen credit card information can be used to make fraudulent purchases online or for cloning.