In 2019 my debit card info was stolen at an ATM in Texas and used to buy hundreds of dollars worth of Starbucks gift cards on the other side of the country. I had to replace my debit card and reconfigure all of my automatic monthly payments, just to worry that it could happen again at any time.

A few months later, I found the Hunter Cat Credit Card Skimmer Detector, and started taking it with me everywhere I went. Since then, I haven’t had to replace a card due to fraud.

The Hunter Cat helps you protect yourself from fraud and identify theft by testing and validating magnetic stripe readers before you insert your credit or debit cards. It’s especially useful at ATMs where you can’t use tap-to-pay features when withdrawing cash. Whether you’re traveling abroad and need to use a foreign ATM or at your local grocery or convenience store, this ATM skimmer detector will keep your information and finances safe.

The Hunter Cat works by detecting the number of magnetic stripe heads inside the card reader, and then displaying a status via one of three different LED lights - Green (OK), Yellow (Swipe Again), or Red (Dangerous).

The scanning process is simple. Just insert and remove the skimmer detector normally before inserting the bank card. The Hunter will process the information and give the read status within seconds. For ATMs which have a lock feature to temporarily trap your card, the Hunter Cat still works because it’s longer than a normal debit card, so it can’t be locked in while you’re checking the number of stripe heads. You can then insert your own credit or debit card to complete the transaction depending on the alert LEDs.

The Hunter Cat is powered by a long-lasting CR2032 3V battery, included with each purchase. So you can put it into action as part of your personal security routine immediately. For more personal protection products to help you stay safe while traveling, browse through our selection here.