MARION, Ill. (WJPF) – Marion Police say senior citizens using the self-checkout at retail and grocery stores are the newest targets of scam artists.

According to MPD, victims using a debit card at the shelf-checkout are first watched by one or two men as they make a payment and enter their PIN number into the machine.  One of the scammers then distracts the victim by telling them they’ve dropped money on the floor. While the victim is distracted, the scammer takes their debit card out of the machine and quickly walks away.

Marion Police want residents to be aware of their surroundings and try to cover the pad on the station when entering their PIN. If you happen to find yourself in this situation, call the Marion Police Department at (618) 993-2124.