Green covering over card slot on ATM machines

[solkoe]

In my town, which is in Canada, and I assume in a much larger area, they have recently installed a green plastic covering over the bank card slot of the ATM machine. What it appears to do is slow the ejection of the card after you have finished with your transactions. The change happened with all the machines in my town about 6 months ago. Does anyone know anything about this? Did this change happen all over North America at the same time?

[Northern Piper]

I believe that the purpose is to make it harder for fraudsters to install a skimmer on the slot. Change-over happened around here about four months ago.

[Gus_Handsome]

In my town, which is in Canada, and I assume in a much larger area, they have recently installed a green plastic covering over the bank card slot of the ATM machine. What it appears to do is slow the ejection of the card after you have finished with your transactions. The change happened with all the machines in my town about 6 months ago. Does anyone know anything about this? Did this change happen all over North America at the same time?

Good question, I was wondering the same thing these last few days but never thought of asking.

Not sure where you are, but here in Kingston, ON, they are all changed.

Regards

[Ice Wolf]

Just FYI, one of our banks here have had the same thing installed at all of their ATMs for a year or so. As Northern Piper said, it's an anti-skimming device.

[Pushkin]

Ah, I was going to ask if it was a skimming device itself, although I'm not sure what one would look like.

[LSLGuy]

I have not seen any similar mods on any ATMs in the US yet & I travel a lot, often using ATMs in different cities. Just one anecdotal non-data point. (or is that data non-point?)