LANSING – The Michigan House came together on Thursday to approve unanimously a package of legislation barring the use of so-called skimming devices that obtain a person’s credit card information when they think they are using an ATM or other credit card reader.
The bills (HB 5050 , HB 5051 , HB 5052 , HB 5053 and HB 5054 ) would prohibit the sale, purchase, installation, transfer or possession of a skimmer. Violations would be a felony punishable by one to five years in prison and a fine of up to $100,000.
Rep. Kurt Heise (R-Plymouth Township), chair of the House Criminal Justice Committee that reported the legislation and sponsor of the first bill, said on the floor the package is staying ahead of identity theft, as it is a nationwide problem.
“These skimming devices can be purchased over the Internet,” he said. “They are basically small devices you can overlay on the slot of an ATM machine … you don’t know it when the skimming device is on there. But when your credit card … goes into the machine, the bad guy is collecting your data.”
BRIDGE CARDS: The House also overwhelmingly approved legislation that would prohibit a person from using their Bridge card to extract cash at certain ATM machines.
The bills (HB 4858 , HB 4859 , HB 5014 and HB 5015 ) mostly passed 108-1; HB 5014 passed 106-3.
The second two bills would prevent a Bridge card user’s access to cash benefits through a point of sale or withdrawal from an ATM on a liquor store or horse racing track’s premises.
The first two bills, which would take effect on February 2014, would require financial institutions that operate ATMs located on the premises of casinos, casino enterprises, liquor stores, or adult entertainment establishments to work with the Department of Human Services to ensure a Bridge card cannot be used to access cash benefits on those premises.
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