Skimmer detection tools, systems, and methods of detecting skimmers at point of interaction devices

Abstract

Provided herein are systems, devices, tools, and methods for protecting payment terminals from malicious card devices. More specifically, the tools, platforms, and methods of the present disclosure enable the detection card skimmers at point-of-interaction devices and offer proactive monitoring of managed point-of-interaction devices.

Description

PATENTDocket No. VFI-1061-WOSKIMMER DETECTION TOOLS, SYSTEMS, AND METHODS OF DETECTING SKIMMERS AT POINT OF INTERACTION DEVICESCross-Reference to Related Applications

[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 63 / 726,207, filed on November 27, 2024, and entitled “Skimmer Detection Tools, Systems, and Methods of Detecting Skimmers at Point of Interaction Devices”, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.Field of the Disclosure

[0002] The present disclosure relates generally to systems, devices, tools, and methods for protecting payment terminals from malicious card data and PIN skimming devices, and more specifically to tools, platforms, and methods of detecting card skimming devices at point-of- interaction devices.Background

[0003] Point-of-interaction devices, such as point-of-sale devices, payment terminals, and / or the like, are used in a variety of environments to process payment transactions. Customers will present a payment card to these point-of-interaction devices, typically by swiping their payment card through a magnetic stripe reader or inserting their payment card into a primary smartcard reader, and the point-of-interaction device will read the stored customer card information from the payment card. The customer card information stored on these payment cards include sensitive information including primary account numbers (PANs), bank routing information, cardholder data (e.g., cardholder name), sensitive authentication data, and / or the like. In some cases, this card information may be provided to the point-of- interaction device in an unencrypted format, such as when certain data is read by a primary smartcard reader. Because bad actors can use the information from payment cards to make fraudulent transactions, the point-of-interaction devices where this information is shared are vulnerable to various attacks.

[0004] In particular, it has been observed that bad actors will design card skimming devices that attach to a point-of-interaction device and steal sensitive customer card information. In some cases, a card skimming device may capture not only all of the sensitive banking and customer information stored on the payment card, but may also capture the customer’ s personalPATENTDocket No. VFI-1061-WO identification number (PIN). As described herein, a portion of the card skimming device may be inserted into the primary smartcard reader slot and / or attached to the magnetic stripe reader such that they do not interrupt normal operation of the point-of-interaction device. In many cases, the card skimming device also includes a keypad and / or device overlay that mimic the appearance of legitimate point-of-interaction devices. These card skimming devices can be very difficult to detect visually. Oftentimes, merchants and customers are not in a position to closely inspect each and every point-of-interaction device they utilize.

[0005] While industry organizations (such as EMVCo, LLC) are developing new standards for protecting card information, these standards are likely years away from being implemented. In the meantime, point-of-interaction devices remain a significant target of attacks.Summary of the Disclosure

[0006] Described herein are tools, systems, and methods that enable merchants to efficiently, securely, and reliably detect card skimming devices at one or more deployed point- of-interaction devices. Also described are systems, platforms, and methods that enable merchants to facilitate protection efforts, including by tracking when skimmer detection tests were performed and proactively recommending when skimmer detection tests should be performed.

[0007] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a skimmer detection tool is provided. The skimmer detection tool can include: a backing plate; a card reader insertion plate having a substantially planar surface and uniform thickness, wherein the card reader insertion plate extends from the backing plate; one or more projecting arms extending from the backing plate; and a near-field communication (NFC) tag.

[0008] In an aspect, the one or more projecting arms extend from the backing plate in a plane that is substantially parallel to the card reader insertion plate.

[0009] In an aspect, the NFC tag can store a unique identification token that can be used to authenticate the skimmer detection tool in relation to one or more specific point-of-interaction devices.

[0010] In an aspect, each of the one or more projecting arms can have a bottom planar surface that is vertically spaced from a top planar surface of the card reader insertion plate by a predetermined distance set based on an expected height of a keypad of a point-of-interaction device.PATENTDocket No. VFI-1061-WO

[0011] In an aspect, the card reader insertion plate can be configured to depress a card presence detection switch within a primary smartcard reader of a point-of-interaction device when the card reader insertion plate is fully inserted into the primary smartcard reader.

[0012] According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, a point-of-interaction device is provided. The point-of-interaction device can include: a display device; a contactless card reader configured to detect near-field communication (NFC) signals associated with a contactless smartcard; a smartcard reader having a card reader slot and a card presence detection switch, the card presence detection switch being configured to detect proper insertion of a smartcard into the card reader slot; at least one processor in communication with the contactless card reader, the smartcard reader, and the display device; and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the point-of-interaction device to perform the following operations: (i) receive, from a near-field communication (NFC) tag of a skimmer detection tool, an NFC signal; (ii) initiate, via the at least one processor, a skimmer testing mode. In an aspect, the point-of-interaction device can also include a magnetic stripe reader.

[0013] In an aspect, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium further comprises instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the point-of- interaction device to perform the following operations: (iii) display, on the display device, instructions for conducting a skimmer detection test using the skimmer detection tool based on the received NFC signal, wherein the skimmer detection test includes inserting a card reader insertion plate of the skimmer detection tool into the card reader slot of the smartcard reader; (iv) determine whether the card reader insertion plate of the skimmer detection tool triggered the card presence detection switch of the smartcard reader within a predetermined period of time; and (v) generate, via the at least one processor, a skimmer detection test report based on whether the card presence detection switch of the smartcard reader was triggered within the predetermined period of time.

[0014] In an aspect, the point-of-interaction device comprises a networking component configured to securely connect the point-of-interaction device to a wired and / or wireless communications network, and the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium further comprises instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the point-of- interaction device to perform the following operations: (vi) transmit, via the networking component and the communications networks, the skimmer detection test report to an estate management server.PATENTDocket No. VFI-1061-WO

[0015] In an aspect, the skimmer detection test report includes one or more of the following: (i) a device serial number; (ii) a terminal model; (iii) a test date and / or time; (iv) a device location; (v) a test outcome; (vi) a tester identification; and / or (vii) a merchant identification.

[0016] According to still another embodiment of the present disclosure, a point-of- interaction diagnostics platform is provided, The point-of-interaction diagnostics platform can include: an estate management server comprising one or more processors, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, and a networking component configured to access one or more wired and / or wireless communications networks; wherein the estate management server operatively connected to a plurality of point-of-interaction devices; and wherein the non- transitory computer-readable storage medium comprises instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the estate management server to perform the following operations: (i) receive one or more skimmer detection test reports from one or more of the plurality of point-of-interaction devices; (ii) process and store the skimmer detection test reports received in one or more activity databases; and (iii) provide a customer interface for accessing and querying information concerning one or more point-of-interaction devices, wherein the information includes skimmer detection test report data.

[0017] In an aspect, the customer interface is configured to provide a graphical user interface that can be customized to sort and / or filter the information from the one or more skimmer detection test reports based on at least one of: (i) a device serial number; (ii) a terminal model; (iii) a test date and / or time; (iv) a device location; (v) a test outcome; (vi) a tester identification; and / or (vii) a merchant identification.

[0018] In an aspect, the point-of-interaction diagnostics platform can further include the plurality of point-of-interaction devices, wherein each point-of-interaction device comprises: a display device; a contactless card reader configured to detect near-field communication (NFC) signals associated with a contactless smartcard; a smartcard reader having a card reader slot and a card presence detection switch, the card presence detection switch being configured to detect proper insertion of a smartcard into the card reader slot; a networking component configured to securely connect the point-of-interaction device to one or more wired and / or wireless communications networks; at least one processor in communication with the contactless card reader, the smartcard reader, and the display device; and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the point-of-interaction device to perform the following operations: (i) receive, from a near-field communication (NFC) tag of a skimmer detectionPATENTDocket No. VFI-1061-WO tool, an NFC signal; (ii) initiate, via the at least one processor, a skimmer testing mode; (iii) display, on the display device, instructions for conducting a skimmer detection test using the skimmer detection tool based on the received NFC signal, wherein the skimmer detection test includes inserting a card reader insertion plate of the skimmer detection tool into a card reader slot of the point-of-interaction device; (iv) determine whether the card reader insertion plate of the skimmer detection tool triggered the card presence detection switch of the smartcard reader within a predetermined period of time; (v) generate, via the at least one processor, a skimmer detection test report based on whether the card presence detection switch of the smartcard reader was triggered within the predetermined period of time; and (vi) transmit, via the networking component and the communications networks, the skimmer detection test report to an estate management server.

[0019] In an aspect, the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of the estate management server further comprises instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the estate management server to perform the following operations: query the one or more activity databases to determine whether a skimmer detection test report has not been performed for at least one point-of-interaction device of the plurality of point-of-interaction devices within a customizable predetermined period; and sending an alert indicating that an operator should perform a skimmer detection test of the at least one point-of-interaction device.

[0020] According to still another embodiment of the present disclosure, a method for detecting the presence of a skimmer at a point-of-interaction device comprising a smartcard reader is provided. The method can include: receiving, via a contactless reader of the point-of- interaction device, an NFC signal from an NFC tag of a skimmer detection tool; initiating, via at least one processor of the point-of-interaction device, a skimmer testing mode; displaying, on a display device of the point-of-interaction device, instructions for conducting a skimmer detection test using the skimmer detection tool based on the received NFC signal, wherein the skimmer detection test includes inserting a card reader insertion plate of the skimmer detection tool into the card reader slot of the smartcard reader; determining, via the at least one processor of the point-of-interaction device, whether the card reader insertion plate of the skimmer detection tool successfully triggered a card presence detection switch disposed within the card reader slot of the smartcard reader; and generating, via the at least one processor, a skimmer detection test report based on whether the card presence detection switch of the smartcard reader was triggered.PATENTDocket No. VFI-1061-WO

[0021] In an aspect, the method can further include: after initiating the skimmer testing mode, starting, via the at least one processor of the point-of-interaction device, an insertion timer counting down from a predetermined amount of time; determining whether the card reader insertion plate of the skimmer detection tool successfully triggered the card presence detection switch disposed within the card reader slot of the smartcard reader before the insertion timer ended; and generating the skimmer detection test report based on whether the card presence detection switch of the smartcard reader was triggered before the insertion timer ended.

[0022] In an aspect, initiating the skimmer testing mode disables one or more transaction- related functions of the point-of-interaction device.

[0023] In an aspect, the method can further include: transmitting, via a networking component of the point-of-interaction device, the skimmer detection test report to an estate management server of a point-of-interaction diagnostics platform.

[0024] In an aspect, the method can further include: receiving, at the estate management server, one or more skimmer detection test reports from one or more of a plurality of point-of- interaction devices; processing and storing, at the estate management server, the skimmer detection test reports received in one or more activity databases.

[0025] In an aspect, the method can further include: accessing the estate management server via a customer interface at a customer device; querying, via the customer interface, the estate management server for information concerning the skimmer detection test reports for one or more point-of-interaction devices; and generating, via the customer interface; a graphical user interface displaying the information concerning the skimmer detection test reports for one or more point-of-interaction devices.

[0026] These and other aspects of the various embodiments will be apparent from and elucidated with reference to the embodiments described hereinafter.Brief Description of the Drawings

[0027] In the drawings, like reference characters generally refer to the same parts throughout the different views. Also, the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead generally being placed upon illustrating the principles of the various embodiments.

[0028] FIG. 1 A is an illustration of a skimmer detection tool shown in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.PATENTDocket No. VFI-1061-WO

[0029] FIG. IB is a block diagram of an NFC tag shown in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

[0030] FIG. 2A is another illustration of a skimmer detection tool shown in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

[0031] FIG. 2B is still another illustration of a skimmer detection tool shown in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

[0032] FIG. 2C is yet another illustration of a skimmer detection tool shown in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

[0033] FIG. 3 A is a block diagram illustrating a point-of-interaction device in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

[0034] FIG. 3B is a diagram illustrating a portions of a primary smartcard reader of a point- of-interaction device in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

[0035] FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating certain steps of a method for protecting one or more point-of-interaction devices from skimming devices.

[0036] FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating further steps of a method for protecting one or more point-of-interaction devices from skimming devices.

[0037] FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating still further steps of a method for protecting one or more point-of-interaction devices from skimming devices.

[0038] FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an environment for protecting one or more point-of- interaction devices from skimming devices.

[0039] FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating the components of a computing device in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

[0040] FIG. 9 is an illustration of a skimmer detection tool and a point-of-interaction device shown in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

[0041] FIG. 10 is another illustration of a skimmer detection tool and a point-of-interaction device shown in accordance with further aspects of the present disclosure.

[0042] FIG. 11 is an illustration of a point-of-interaction device and an exemplary skimming device shown in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.Detailed Description of Embodiments

[0043] Provided herein are systems, devices, tools, and methods for protecting payment terminals from malicious card devices. More specifically, the tools, platforms, and methods of the present disclosure enable the detection card skimmers at point-of-interaction devices andPATENTDocket No. VFI-1061-WO offer proactive monitoring of managed point-of-interaction devices. As mentioned above, card skimming devices have been designed to not interrupt normal operations of the compromised payment terminals, and customers and merchants are reluctant and / or ill-prepared to inspect their payment terminals visually and frequently enough to detect and deter fraud. Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide skimmer detection tools, systems, and methods for easily and reliably detecting skimmers at point-of-interaction devices.

[0044] Turning to FIG. 1A, an illustration of a skimmer detection tool 100 is illustrated in accordance with certain aspects of the present disclosure. In generally, the skimmer detection tool 100 can comprise a backing plate 105, a card reader insertion plate 110, one or more projecting arms 115, and a near-field communication (NFC) tag. As shown, the card reader insertion plate 110 and the projection arms 115 may extend from a front face 125 of the backing plate 105. In embodiments, the front face 125 of the backing plate 105 is also facing the direction of the point-of-interaction device during use of the tool 100. In embodiments, the skimmer detection tool 100 can also comprise back plate wings 180 for easy gripping and use.

[0045] The skimmer detection tool 100 can be configured to be inserted into the primary smartcard reader of an associated point-of-interaction device. More specifically, the card reader insertion plate 110 can be configured to be inserted into a primary smartcard reader slot of an associated point-of-interaction device such that the card reader insertion plate 110 will depress or otherwise activate a card presence detection switch (e.g., card presence detection switch 353 shown in FIG. 3B) within a primary smartcard reader of a point-of-interaction device when the card reader insertion plate is fully inserted into the primary smartcard reader.

[0046] Accordingly, in embodiments, the card reader insertion plate 110 can have a substantially planar surface and a uniform thickness. As shown in the example of FIGS. 2A and 2B, the card reader insertion plate 110 may have a uniform thickness 130, which can be from about 0.25 mm to about 1 mm. As shown in the examples of FIGS. 2B and 2C, the card reader insertion plate 110 may also have a defined length 135 and a defined width 140. In embodiments, the size of the card reader insertion plate 110 may be based on the ISO industry standards governing the size of a payment card. For example and without limitation, the length 135 of the card reader insertion plate 110 can be from about 50 mm to about 55 mm, and the width 140 of the card reader insertion plate 110 can be from about 80 mm to about 90 mm. In specific embodiments, the card reader insertion plate 110 may have a thickness 130 of about 0.76 mm, a width 140 of about 85.6 mm, and a length 135 of about 53.98 mm.PATENTDocket No. VFI-1061-WO

[0047] According to aspects of the present disclosure, the skimmer detection tool 100 can include one or more projecting arms 115 extending from the backing plate 105 for a certain distance 145. That is, the projecting arms 115 may have a length 145, which may be less than the length 135 of the card reader insertion plate 110. In particular embodiments, the length 145 is from about 5 mm to about 40 mm.

[0048] As shown in the examples of FIG. 2 A and 2B, the projecting arms 115 may extend from the backing plate 105 in a plane that is substantially parallel to the card reader insertion plate 110. However, it is contemplated that the projecting arms 115 above the card reader insertion plate 110 such that the arms 115 follow the planar surface of an associated point-of- interaction device. Thus, the projecting arms 115 may be parallel with the insertion plate 110 but may also and / or alternatively extend from the backing plate 105 at different angles (e.g., different angles 9).

[0049] In embodiments, a bottom surface 150 of each projecting arm 115 is separated from an opposing surface 155 of the card reader insertion plate 110 by a height 160. The height 160 may be specific to a particular point-of-interaction device or a class of point-of-interaction devices (e.g., a model type, etc.). In general, the height 160 is only large enough to accommodate a portion of a point-of-interaction terminal between the smartcard reader and the keypad (as shown in FIG. 8). In particular embodiments, the height 160 and the angle 9 of the projecting arms 115 can be customized or may be adjustable based on the specific dimensions of the point-of-interaction device(s) to be tested in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

[0050] In embodiments, the skimmer detection tool 100 can also include an NFC tag 120. In embodiments, the NFC tag 120 may be disposed on or in a portion of the skimmer detection tool 100, such as on or in the backing plate 105, the card reader insertion plate 110, and / or another portion of the skimmer detection tool 100. As shown in FIG. IB, the NFC tag 120 can include a microchip 122 that stores a unique identifier 123 and an antenna 121 (such as a thin copper coil) that enables communication with an NFC reader. When the skimmer detection tool 100 is brought near an NFC-enabled device, such as a point-of-interaction device having a contactless card reader (e.g., contactless card reader 305 shown in FIG. 3 A), the NFC-enabled device will generate an electromagnetic field that powers the NFC tag 120 and enables the point-of-interaction device to read the unique identifier 123 stored in the microchip of the NFC tag 120. In embodiments, the unique identifier 123 may be machine-readable code and / or aPATENTDocket No. VFI-1061-WO string of characters, letters, numbers, and / or symbols that identify a particular skimmer detection tool 100.

[0051] In particular embodiments, a skimmer detection tool 100 may be paired with one or more point-of-interaction devices 300 via the unique identifier 123 such that a skimmer detection test can only be performed using a skimmer detection tool 100 that is recognized and authenticated by the point-of-interaction device 300. Accordingly, also provided herein are point-of-interaction devices configured to facilitate a skimmer detection test in coordination with a designated skimmer detection tool 100.

[0052] For example, with reference to FIG. 3, a block diagram of an exemplary point-of- interaction device 300 is illustrated in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. As shown, the point-of-interaction device 300 can include one or more processors 302 and a machine-readable memory 304 interconnected and / or in communication via a system bus 306 containing conductive circuit pathways through which instructions (e.g., machine-readable signals) may travel to effectuate communication, tasks, storage, and the like. The point-of- interaction device 300 can be connected to a power source (not shown), which can include an internal power supply and / or an external power supply. As mentioned above, the point-of- interaction device 300 can also include one or more additional components, such as a user interface 313, a display 314, an input / output (I / O) interface 312, a networking unit 316, one or more card readers 301, and the like, including combinations thereof. As shown, each of these components may be interconnected and / or in communication via the system bus 306, for example.

[0053] In embodiments, the one or more card readers 301 may include a magnetic stripe reader 308 for reading and processing magnetic stripe data (e.g., Track I and Track II data) of payment cards, a smartcard reader 303 for reading and processing chip-enabled payment cards, a contactless reader 305 for reading and processing contactless data from a contactless-enabled payment card, and / or the like.

[0054] In particular embodiments, the one or more card readers 301 includes a primary smartcard reader 303. For example, with reference to FIG. 3B, a primary smartcard reader 303 is illustrated in connection with a circuit board 350 of an exemplary point-of-interaction device 300 (i.e., without the housing components of the point-of-interaction device 300, such as the housing components shown in FIGS. 9-11). The primary smartcard reader 303 includes a slot 351 configured to receive a payment card . When a payment card is fully inserted into the slot 351, the payment card will activate a card presence detection switch 353 located within the slotPATENTDocket No. VFI-1061-WO351. As described herein and shown in FIG. 3B, the card reader insertion plate 110 is similarly configured according to the ISO industry standards governing the size of payment cards in order to depress / activate the card presence insertion switch 353 when fully inserted into the slot 251.

[0055] In further embodiments, the contactless reader 305 may be configured to generate an electromagnetic field that powers an NFC tag 120 located within a payment card or another device, such as the skimmer detection tool 100. The contactless reader 305 may therefore be able to read from the NFC tag 120 the unique identifier stored therein, and use the information to initiate a skimmer detection test as described in more detail below.

[0056] In embodiments, the one or more processors 302 can include one or more high-speed data processors adequate to process payment card information, execute the program components described herein, and / or perform one or more operations of the methods described herein. In particular embodiments, the one or more processors 302 can include at least a secure processor 330. The secure processor 330 may be a processor that is housed in a secured or fortified part of the point-of-interaction device 300, may be configured to control the high- security functions of the point-of-interaction device 300, including but not limited to, managing encryption keys and libraries 334 and / or protocols (e.g., VeriShield Crypto Library, AES, etc.), encrypting and decrypting sensitive cardholder information, managing card-reading interface modules 301 to receive and process sensitive cardholder information, receive and transmit sensitive cardholder information to external destinations, and / or the like.

[0057] In further embodiments, the one or more processors 302 can also include at least an application processor 332. The application processor 332 may be housed within the point-of- interaction device 300 and may be configured to control the less sensitive functions of the point-of-interaction device 300, including but not limited to controlling the display 314.

[0058] As described herein, the one or more processors 302 may include a microprocessor, a multi-core processor, a multithreaded processor, an ultra-low voltage processor, an embedded processor, and / or the like, including combinations thereof. The one or more processors 302 can include multiple processor cores on a single die and / or may be a part of a system on a chip (SoC) in which the processor 302 and other components are formed into a single integrated circuit, or a single package. That is, the one or more processors 302 may be a single processor, multiple independent processors, or multiple processor cores on a single die.

[0059] In embodiments, the user interface 313 may be configured to receive various forms of input from a user associated with the point-of-interaction device 300. The user interface 313PATENTDocket No. VFI-1061-WO can include, but is not limited to, one or more of a keyboard, keypad, trackpad, trackball(s), capacitive keyboard, controller (e.g., a gaming controller), computer mouse, computer stylus / pen, a voice input device, and / or the like, including combinations thereof.

[0060] In embodiments, the display device 314 may be configured to display information, including text, graphs, and / or the like. In particular embodiments, the display device 314 may be configured to display transaction information related to one or more payment transactions. The display device 314 can include, but is not limited to, a liquid crystal display (LCD), a lightemitting diode (LED) display, a touch screen or other touch-enabled display, a foldable display, a projection display, and so on, or combinations thereof.

[0061] In embodiments, the input / output (I / O) interface 312 may be configured to connect and / or enable communication with one or more peripheral devices (not shown), including but not limited to additional machine-readable memory devices, diagnostic equipment, and other attachable devices. The I / O interface 312 may include one or more I / O ports that provide a physical connection to the one or more peripheral devices. In some embodiments, the I / O interface 312 may include one or more serial ports.

[0062] In embodiments, the networking unit 316 may include one or more types of networking interfaces that facilitate wired and / or wireless communication between the point- of-interaction device 300 and one or more external devices. That is, the networking unit 316 may operatively connect the point-of-interaction device 300 to one or more types of communications networks, which can include a direction interconnection, the Internet, a local area network (“LAN”), a metropolitan area network (“MAN”), a wide area network (“WAN”), a wired or Ethernet connection, a wireless connection, a cellular network, and similar types of communications networks, including combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the point- of-interaction device 300 may communicate with one or more remote / cloud-based servers and / or cloud-based services, in order to verify payment card information and process financial transactions.

[0063] In embodiments, the memory 304 can be variously embodied in one or more forms of machine accessible and machine-readable memory. In some embodiments, the memory 304 includes a storage device (not shown), which can include, but is not limited to, a non-transitory storage medium, a magnetic disk storage, an optical disk storage, an array of storage devices, a solid-state memory device, and / or the like, as well as combinations thereof. The memory 204 may also include one or more other types of memory, such as dynamic random-access memory (DRAM), static random-access memory (SRAM), erasable programmable read-only memoryPATENTDocket No. VFI-1061-WO(EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), Flash memory, and / or the like, as well as combinations thereof. In embodiments, the memory 304 may include a combination of different types of memory, including different types of transitory memory and different types of non-transitory memory.

[0064] The point-of-interaction device 300 can be configured by software components stored in the memory 304 to perform one or more processes of the methods described herein. More specifically, the memory 304 can be configured to store data / information 320 and computer-readable instructions 322 that, when executed by the one or more processors 202, causes the point-of-interaction device 300 to coordinate a skimmer detection test in accordance with the present disclosure. Such data 320 and the computer-readable instructions 322 stored in the memory 304 may form a skimmer detection package that may be incorporated into, loaded from, loaded onto, or otherwise operatively available to and from the point-of- interaction device 300. Thus, in some embodiments, the skimmer detection package and / or one or more individual software packages may be stored in a local storage device of the memory 304. However, in other embodiments, the skimmer detection package 324 and / or one or more individual software packages may be loaded onto and / or updated from a remote server or service via a communications network.

[0065] In particular embodiments, the memory 304 may be configured to store a cryptographic library 334, including the algorithms and keys necessary to support the secure encryption / decryption functions of the point-of-interaction device 300. In embodiments, the portion of the memory 304 storing the cryptographic library 334 may be disposed within a secured or fortified section of the point-of-interaction device 300 along with the secure processor 330.

[0066] In further embodiments, the memory 304 may include an application program interface (API) 336 configured to facilitate the low-security features of the point-of-interaction device 300, as described above. In certain embodiments, this may include operating the display device 314, generating / printing receipts, and / or the like. The API 336 may be based on or otherwise compatible with one or more types of operating systems 326, including but not limited to Verifone Secure OS, Engage VOS2, VAOS based on Android, and / or the like.

[0067] Accordingly, provided herein is a computer program product comprising a non- transitory computer-readable storage medium 304 having stored thereon computer-readable instructions 322 that, when executed by one or more processors (such as processors 302), cause the one or more processors to perform one or more operations of the methods described below.PATENTDocket No. VFI-1061-WO

[0068] For example, with reference to FIGS. 4 to 6, various aspects of a method for detecting malicious electronics, such as skimmers, at point-of-interaction devices are illustrated in accordance with the present disclosure. As described herein, certain steps of the methods 400, 500, 600 may be performed at a point-of-interaction device, at an estate management server, and / or at a customer device. Thus, it should be appreciated that the methods 400, 500, 600 are not mutually exclusive and are not necessarily sequential.

[0069] With reference to FIG. 4, a method 400 for performing a skimmer detection at a point-of-interaction device 300 using a skimmer detection tool 100 is illustrated in accordance with certain aspects of the present disclosure. The method 400 can include: in a step 410, authenticating a skimmer detection tool 100 for use with a particular point-of-interaction device 300 by using the contactless reader 305 of the point-of-interaction device 300 to read and verify the unique identifier 123 of an NFC tag embedded in or otherwise associated with the skimmer detection tool 100; in a step 420, initiating a skimmer testing mode if the skimmer detection tool 100 was authenticated by the point-of-interaction device 300; in a step 430, displaying instructions for conducting the skimmer detection test; in a step 440, determining whether the card reader insertion plate 110 of the skimmer detection tool 100 successfully triggered the card presence detection switch 353 of the primary smartcard reader 303; in a step 450, generating a skimmer detection test report based thereon; and optionally, in a step 460, transmitting the skimmer detection test report to an estate management server.

[0070] With reference to FIG. 5, a method 500 for managing a plurality of point-of- interaction devices 300 is illustrated, wherein the method 500 includes cataloguing skimmer test report data for the plurality of point-of-interaction devices 300. In embodiments, one or more steps of the method 500 may be performed by an estate management server configured to communicate with a plurality of point-of-interaction devices 300. The method 500 can include: in a step 510, receiving one or more skimmer detection test reports from one or more different point-of-interaction devices 300; in a step 520: processing and storing the skimmer detection test data contained in the skimmer detection test reports received; and in a step 530, providing a customer interface (e.g., a URL, etc.) for accessing and querying information concerning one or more of the managed point-of-interaction devices 300. In particular embodiments, processing the skimmer detection test data in the step 520 can include generating push notifications for merchants in the case that a test report passes or fails, or in the case that one or more managed point-of-interaction devices 300 have not been tested for longer than a threshold period of time (e.g., every 24 hours, every 48 hours, every week, etc.).PATENTDocket No. VFI-1061-WO

[0071] With reference to FIG. 6, a method 600 for utilizing the actionable skimmer detection test report data is illustrated in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. In embodiments, one or more steps of the method 600 may be performed using a customer device, such as a laptop, desktop, workstation, tablet, smartphone, and / or the like. The method 600 can include: in a step 610, accessing the estate management server via a customer interface; in a step 620, querying the estate management server for information concerning one or more managed point-of-interaction devices 300; and in a step 630, generating, via the customer interface, a graphical user interface that includes skimmer detection test report data for one or more of the managed point-of-interaction devices.

[0072] With reference to FIG. 7, an illustrative diagram of an environment utilizing the tools 100, devices 300, and methods 400, 500, 600 of the present disclosure is shown. In particular, the environment includes a plurality of point-of-interaction devices 300A, 300B, 300C that are in communication with and managed by an estate management server 700. As shown, each of the point-of-interaction devices 300A, 300B, 300C are different and may therefore be associated with different skimmer detection tools 100A, 100B, 100C. However, it is contemplated that a single skimmer detection tool 100A, 100B, 100C may be operable with multiple devices 300A, 300B, 300C of the same type. According to the example of FIG. 7, one a skimmer detection tool 100A, 100B, 100C is used to perform a skimmer detection test on the corresponding point-of-interaction device 300 A, 300B, 300C, the test reports may be uploaded to the estate management server 700 and processed and stored in one or more databases. This information may then be accessible to a customer device 750 that is in communication with the estate management server 700 via a customer interface (e.g., a URL or the like).

[0073] According to aspects of the present disclosure, the estate management server 700 may enable a customer, such as a particular merchant, to access and view skimmer test report data for a plurality of point-of-interaction devices 300 associated with that merchant. For example, a national chain may have 100 stores across the United States and each store has between one and 50 point-of-interaction devices 300. The national chain may require each store to perform a skimmer detection test of each of these point-of-interaction devices at least once per week. The resulting test reports may be automatically uploaded to the estate management server 700, which the national chain can then inspect and monitor at any customer device 750 via a customer interface.

[0074] As described herein, the estate management server 700 and the customer device 750 may be embodied as various electronic devices. That is, the estate management server 700 andPATENTDocket No. VFI-1061-WO the customer device 750 may be a specialized computers configured to perform the steps described herein, respectively. In particular embodiments, each of the estate management server 700 and the customer device 750 may computing devices 800 in accordance with the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 8.

[0075] As shown in the example of FIG. 8, a computing device 800 can include one or more processors 802 and a computer-readable memory 804 interconnected and / or in communication via a system bus 806 containing conductive circuit pathways through which instructions (e.g., machine-readable signals) may travel to effectuate communication, tasks, storage, and the like. The computing device 800 can be connected to a power source (not shown), which can include an internal power supply and / or an external power supply. In embodiments, the computing device 800 can also include one or more additional components, such as a user interface 208, a display 810, an input / output (I / O) interface 812, a networking unit 814, and the like, including combinations thereof. As shown, each of these components may be interconnected and / or in communication via the system bus 806, for example.

[0076] In embodiments, the one or more processors 802 can include one or more high-speed data processors adequate to execute the program components described herein and / or perform one or more operations of the methods described herein. The one or more processors 802 may include a microprocessor, a multi-core processor, a multithreaded processor, an ultra-low voltage processor, an embedded processor, and / or the like, including combinations thereof. The one or more processors 802 can include multiple processor cores on a single die and / or may be a part of a system on a chip (SoC) in which the processor 802 and other components are formed into a single integrated circuit, or a single package. That is, the one or more processors 802 may be a single processor, multiple independent processors, or multiple processor cores on a single die.

[0077] In embodiments, the user interface 808 may be configured to receive various forms of input from a user associated with the computing device 800. The user interface 808 can include, but is not limited to, one or more of a keyboard, keypad, trackpad, trackball(s), capacitive keyboard, controller (e.g., a gaming controller), computer mouse, computer stylus / pen, a voice input device, and / or the like, including combinations thereof.

[0078] In embodiments, the display device 810 may be configured to display information, including text, graphs, and / or the like. In particular embodiments, the display device 810 may be configured to a customer interface or a graphical user interface, for example. The display device 810 can include, but is not limited to, a liquid crystal display (LCD), a light-emittingPATENTDocket No. VFI-1061-WO diode (LED) display, a touch screen or other touch-enabled display, a foldable display, a projection display, and so on, or combinations thereof.

[0079] In embodiments, the input / output (I / O) interface 812 may be configured to connect and / or enable communication with one or more peripheral devices (not shown), including but not limited to additional machine-readable memory devices, diagnostic equipment, and other attachable devices. The I / O interface 812 may include one or more I / O ports that provide a physical connection to the one or more peripheral devices. In some embodiments, the I / O interface 812 may include one or more serial ports.

[0080] In embodiments, the networking unit 814 may include one or more types of networking interfaces that facilitate wired and / or wireless communication between the computing device 800 and one or more external devices. That is, the networking unit 814 may operatively connect the computing device 800 to one or more types of communications networks 816, which can include a direction interconnection, the Internet, a local area network (“LAN”), a metropolitan area network (“MAN”), a wide area network (“WAN”), a wired or Ethernet connection, a wireless connection, a cellular network, and similar types of communications networks, including combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the computing device 800 may communicate with one or more remote / cloud-based servers and / or cloud-based services, such as remote server 818, via the communications network 816.

[0081] In embodiments, the memory 804 can be variously embodied in one or more forms of machine accessible and machine-readable memory. In some embodiments, the memory 804 includes a storage device (not shown), which can include, but is not limited to, a non-transitory storage medium, a magnetic disk storage, an optical disk storage, an array of storage devices, a solid-state memory device, and / or the like, as well as combinations thereof. The memory 804 may also include one or more other types of memory, such as dynamic random-access memory (DRAM), static random-access memory (SRAM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), Flash memory, and / or the like, as well as combinations thereof. In embodiments, the memory 804 may include one or more types of transitory and / or non-transitory memory.

[0082] The computing device 800 can be configured by software components stored in the memory 804 to perform one or more processes of the methods described herein. Such data 820 and the computer-readable instructions 822 stored in the memory 804 may form a software package 824 that may be incorporated into, loaded from, loaded onto, or otherwise operatively available to and from the computing device 800. Thus, in some embodiments, the softwarePATENTDocket No. VFI-1061-WO package 824 and / or one or more individual software packages may be stored in a local storage device of the memory 804. However, in other embodiments, the software package 824 and / or one or more individual software packages may be loaded onto and / or updated from a remote server or service, such as server 818, via the communications network 816.

[0083] The computing device 800 may also include an operating system component 826, which may be stored in the memory 804. The operating system component 826 may be an executable program facilitating the operation of the computing device 800. Typically, the operating system component 826 can facilitate access of the I / O interface 812, network interface 814, the user interface 808, and the display 810, and can communicate or control other components of the computing device 800.

[0084] For further illustration, illustrations of an exemplary skimmer detection device 100, a point-of-interaction device 300, and a malicious skimming device 900 are shown in FIGS. 9 to 11.

[0085] In FIG. 9, for example, a skimmer detection device 100 is fully inserted into a card slot of a smartcard reader of the point-of-interaction device 300. In this configuration, the card reader insertion plate 110 of the skimmer detection device 100 is expected to trigger the card presence detection sensor within the smartcard reader of the point-of-interaction device 300. Furthermore, it can be seen that the projecting arms 115 fit snuggly over the keypad 313 of the point-of-interaction device 300. As shown, the point-of-interaction device 300 does not have a skimming device 900 attached to it.

[0086] However, in FIG. 10, the point-of-interaction device 300 does have a skimming device 900 attached to it. As shown, the skimming device 900 includes a functional keypad 313 that sits on top of the device keypad 313 and otherwise blends into the point-of-interaction device 300. This particular skimming device 900 also includes a magnetic stripe reader 908 that steals magnetic stripe data when an individual swipes their payment card. Although it may be difficult to visually detect the presence of the skimming device 900, an operator can easily use the skimming detection device 100 and will readily notice that the card reader insertion plate 110 does not fully enter the smartcard reader slot (and therefore will not trigger the card presence detection switch). Further, the operator will notice that the projecting arms 115 will not fit over the false keypad 913.

[0087] In this manner, an operator may detect the skimming device 900 and take steps to remove the device 900. For example, as shown in FIG. 11, the point-of-interaction device 300 is illustrated with the skimming device 900 removed. Although the skimming device 900PATENTDocket No. VFI-1061-WO shown in FIG. 10 and FIG. 11 only overlays a portion of the point-of-interaction device 300, it should be appreciated that the skimming device 900 may overlay more or less of the point-of- interaction device 300. For example, in certain embodiments, the skimming device 900 may overlay the entire point-of-interaction device 300.

[0088] It should be appreciated that all combinations of the foregoing concepts and additional concepts discussed in greater detail below (provided such concepts are not mutually inconsistent) are contemplated as being part of the inventive subject matter disclosed herein. In particular, all combinations of claimed subject matter appearing at the end of this disclosure are contemplated as being part of the inventive subject matter disclosed herein. It should also be appreciated that terminology explicitly employed herein that also may appear in any disclosure incorporated by reference should be accorded a meaning most consistent with the particular concepts disclosed herein.

[0089] All definitions, as defined and used herein, should be understood to control over dictionary definitions, definitions in documents incorporated by reference, and / or ordinary meanings of the defined terms.

[0090] The indefinite articles “a” and “an,” as used herein in the specification and in the claims, unless clearly indicated to the contrary, should be understood to mean “at least one.”

[0091] The phrase “and / or,” as used herein in the specification and in the claims, should be understood to mean “either or both” of the elements so conjoined, i.e., elements that are conjunctively present in some cases and disjunctively present in other cases. Multiple elements listed with “and / or” should be construed in the same fashion, i.e., “one or more” of the elements so conjoined. Other elements may optionally be present other than the elements specifically identified by the “and / or” clause, whether related or unrelated to those elements specifically identified.

[0092] As used herein in the specification and in the claims, “or” should be understood to have the same meaning as “and / or” as defined above. For example, when separating items in a list, “or” or “and / or” shall be interpreted as being inclusive, i.e., the inclusion of at least one, but also including more than one, of a number or list of elements, and, optionally, additional unlisted items. Only terms clearly indicated to the contrary, such as “only one of’ or “exactly one of,” or, when used in the claims, “consisting of,” will refer to the inclusion of exactly one element of a number or list of elements. In general, the term “or” as used herein shall only be interpreted as indicating exclusive alternatives (i.e. “one or the other but not both”) when preceded by terms of exclusivity, such as “either,” “one of,” “only one of,” or “exactly one of.”PATENTDocket No. VFI-1061-WO

[0093] As used herein in the specification and in the claims, the phrase “at least one,” in reference to a list of one or more elements, should be understood to mean at least one element selected from any one or more of the elements in the list of elements, but not necessarily including at least one of each and every element specifically listed within the list of elements and not excluding any combinations of elements in the list of elements. This definition also allows that elements may optionally be present other than the elements specifically identified within the list of elements to which the phrase “at least one” refers, whether related or unrelated to those elements specifically identified.

[0094] As used herein, although the terms first, second, third, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements or components, these elements or components should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element or component from another element or component. Thus, a first element or component discussed below could be termed a second element or component without departing from the teachings of the inventive concept.

[0095] Unless otherwise noted, when an element or component is said to be “connected to,” “coupled to,” or “adjacent to” another element or component, it will be understood that the element or component can be directly connected or coupled to the other element or component, or intervening elements or components may be present. That is, these and similar terms encompass cases where one or more intermediate elements or components may be employed to connect two elements or components. However, when an element or component is said to be “directly connected” to another element or component, this encompasses only cases where the two elements or components are connected to each other without any intermediate or intervening elements or components.

[0096] In the claims, as well as in the specification above, all transitional phrases such as “comprising,” “including,” “carrying,” “having,” “containing,” “involving,” “holding,” “composed of,” and the like are to be understood to be open-ended, i.e., to mean including but not limited to. Only the transitional phrases “consisting of’ and “consisting essentially of’ shall be closed or semi-closed transitional phrases, respectively.

[0097] It should also be understood that, unless clearly indicated to the contrary, in any methods claimed herein that include more than one step or act, the order of the steps or acts of the method is not necessarily limited to the order in which the steps or acts of the method are recited.PATENTDocket No. VFI-1061-WO

[0098] The above-described examples of the described subject matter can be implemented in any of numerous ways. For example, some aspects can be implemented using hardware, software or a combination thereof. When any aspect is implemented at least in part in software, the software code can be executed on any suitable processor or collection of processors, whether provided in a single device or computer or distributed among multiple device s / computers .

[0099] The present disclosure can be implemented as a system, a method, and / or a computer program product at any possible technical detail level of integration. The computer program product can include a computer readable storage medium (or media) having computer readable program instructions thereon for causing a processor to carry out aspects of the present disclosure.

[0100] The computer readable storage medium can be a tangible device that can retain and store instructions for use by an instruction execution device. The computer readable storage medium can be, for example, but is not limited to, an electronic storage device, a magnetic storage device, an optical storage device, an electromagnetic storage device, a semiconductor storage device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. A non-exhaustive list of more specific examples of the computer readable storage medium comprises the following: a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), a static random access memory (SRAM), a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), a digital versatile disk (DVD), a memory stick, a floppy disk, a mechanically encoded device such as punch-cards or raised structures in a groove having instructions recorded thereon, and any suitable combination of the foregoing. A computer readable storage medium, as used herein, is not to be construed as being transitory signals per se, such as radio waves or other freely propagating electromagnetic waves, electromagnetic waves propagating through a waveguide or other transmission media (e.g., light pulses passing through a fiber-optic cable), or electrical signals transmitted through a wire.

[0101] Computer readable program instructions described herein can be downloaded to respective computing / processing devices from a computer readable storage medium or to an external computer or external storage device via a network, for example, the Internet, a local area network, a wide area network and / or a wireless network. The network can comprise copper transmission cables, optical transmission fibers, wireless transmission, routers, firewalls, switches, gateway computers and / or edge servers. A network adapter card or network interfacePATENTDocket No. VFI-1061-WO in each computing / processing device receives computer readable program instructions from the network and forwards the computer readable program instructions for storage in a computer readable storage medium within the respective computing / processing device.

[0102] Computer readable program instructions for carrying out operations of the present disclosure can be assembler instructions, instruction-set-architecture (ISA) instructions, machine instructions, machine dependent instructions, microcode, firmware instructions, statesetting data, configuration data for integrated circuitry, or either source code or object code written in any combination of one or more programming languages, comprising an object oriented programming language such as Smalltalk, C++, or the like, and procedural programming languages, such as the “C” programming language or similar programming languages. The computer readable program instructions can execute entirely on the user’s computer, partly on the user’ s computer, as a stand-alone software package, partly on the user’s computer and partly on a remote computer or entirely on the remote computer or server. In the latter scenario, the remote computer can be connected to the user's computer through any type of network, comprising a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or the connection can be made to an external computer (for example, through the Internet using an Internet Service Provider). In some examples, electronic circuitry comprising, for example, programmable logic circuitry, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGA), or programmable logic arrays (PLA) can execute the computer readable program instructions by utilizing state information of the computer readable program instructions to personalize the electronic circuitry, in order to perform aspects of the present disclosure.

[0103] Aspects of the present disclosure are described herein with reference to flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems), and computer program products according to examples of the disclosure. It will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer readable program instructions.

[0104] The computer readable program instructions can be provided to a processor of a, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing the functions / acts specified in the flowchart and / or block diagram block or blocks. These computer readable program instructions can also be stored in a computer readable storage medium that can directPATENTDocket No. VFI-1061-WO a computer, a programmable data processing apparatus, and / or other devices to function in a particular manner, such that the computer readable storage medium having instructions stored therein comprises an article of manufacture comprising instructions which implement aspects of the function / act specified in the flowchart and / or block diagram or blocks.

[0105] The computer readable program instructions can also be loaded onto a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other device to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer, other programmable apparatus or other device to produce a computer implemented process, such that the instructions which execute on the computer, other programmable apparatus, or other device implement the functions / acts specified in the flowchart and / or block diagram block or blocks.

[0106] The flowchart and block diagrams in the Figures illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods, and computer program products according to various examples of the present disclosure. In this regard, each block in the flowchart or block diagrams can represent a module, segment, or portion of instructions, which comprises one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical function(s). In some alternative implementations, the functions noted in the blocks can occur out of the order noted in the Figures. For example, two blocks shown in succession can, in fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks can sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality involved. It will also be noted that each block of the block diagrams and / or flowchart illustration, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and / or flowchart illustration, can be implemented by special purpose hardware-based systems that perform the specified functions or acts or carry out combinations of special purpose hardware and computer instructions.

[0107] Other implementations are within the scope of the following claims and other claims to which the applicant can be entitled.

[0108] While several inventive embodiments have been described and illustrated herein, those of ordinary skill in the art will readily envision a variety of other means and / or structures for performing the function and / or obtaining the results and / or one or more of the advantages described herein, and each of such variations and / or modifications is deemed to be within the scope of the inventive embodiments described herein. More generally, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that all parameters, dimensions, materials, and configurations described herein are meant to be exemplary and that the actual parameters, dimensions, materials, and / or configurations will depend upon the specific application or applications for which the inventivePATENTDocket No. VFI-1061-WO teachings is / are used. Those skilled in the art will recognize, or be able to ascertain using no more than routine experimentation, many equivalents to the specific inventive embodiments described herein. It is, therefore, to be understood that the foregoing embodiments are presented by way of example only and that, within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereto, inventive embodiments may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described and claimed. Inventive embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to each individual feature, system, article, material, kit, and / or method described herein. In addition, any combination of two or more such features, systems, articles, materials, kits, and / or methods, if such features, systems, articles, materials, kits, and / or methods are not mutually inconsistent, is included within the inventive scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

PATENTDocket No. VFI-1061-WOClaimsWhat is claimed is:

1. A skimmer detection tool comprising: a backing plate; a card reader insertion plate having a substantially planar surface and uniform thickness, wherein the card reader insertion plate extends from the backing plate; one or more projecting arms extending from the backing plate; and a near-field communication (NFC) tag.

2. The skimmer detection tool of claim 1, wherein the one or more projecting arms extend from the backing plate in a plane that is substantially parallel to the card reader insertion plate.

3. The skimmer detection tool of claim 1, wherein the NFC tag is embedded in the backing plate and / or the card reader insertion plate.

4. The skimmer detection tool of claim 1, wherein the NFC tag stores a unique identification token that can be used to authenticate the skimmer detection tool in relation to one or more specific point-of-interaction devices.

5. The skimmer detection tool of claim 1 , wherein each of the one or more proj ecting arms has a bottom planar surface that is vertically spaced from a top planar surface of the card reader insertion plate by a predetermined distance set based on an expected height of a keypad of a point-of-interaction device.

6. The skimmer detection tool of claim 1, wherein the card reader insertion plate is configured to depress a card presence detection switch within a primary smartcard reader of a point-of-interaction device when the card reader insertion plate is fully inserted into the primary smartcard reader.PATENTDocket No. VFI-1061-WO7. A point-of-interaction device comprising: a display device; a contactless card reader configured to detect near-field communication (NFC) signals associated with a contactless smartcard; a smartcard reader having a card reader slot and a card presence detection switch, the card presence detection switch being configured to detect proper insertion of a smartcard into the card reader slot; at least one processor in communication with the contactless card reader, the smartcard reader, and the display device; and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the point-of-interaction device to perform the following operations: receive, from a near-field communication (NFC) tag of a skimmer detection tool, an NFC signal; initiate, via the at least one processor, a skimmer testing mode.

8. The point-of-interaction device of claim 7, wherein the non-transitory computer- readable storage medium further comprises instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the point-of-interaction device to perform the following operations: display, on the display device, instructions for conducting a skimmer detection test using the skimmer detection tool based on the received NFC signal, wherein the skimmer detection test includes inserting a card reader insertion plate of the skimmer detection tool into the card reader slot of the smartcard reader; determine whether the card reader insertion plate of the skimmer detection tool triggered the card presence detection switch of the smartcard reader within a predetermined period of time; and generate, via the at least one processor, a skimmer detection test report based on whether the card presence detection switch of the smartcard reader was triggered within the predetermined period of time.

9. The point-of-interaction device of claim 8, wherein the point-of-interaction device comprises a networking component configured to securely connect the point-of-interaction device to a wired and / or wireless communications network, andPATENTDocket No. VFI-1061-WO wherein the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium further comprises instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the point-of-interaction device to perform the following operations: transmit, via the networking component and the communications networks, the skimmer detection test report to an estate management server.

10. The point-of-interaction device of claim 8, wherein the skimmer detection test report includes one or more of the following: (i) a device serial number; (ii) a terminal model; (iii) a test date and / or time; (iv) a device location; (v) a test outcome; (vi) a tester identification; and / or (vii) a merchant identification.

11. A point-of-interaction diagnostics platform comprising: an estate management server comprising one or more processors, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, and a networking component configured to access one or more wired and / or wireless communications networks; wherein the estate management server operatively connected to a plurality of point-of- interaction devices; and wherein the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprises instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the estate management server to perform the following operations: receive one or more skimmer detection test reports from one or more of the plurality of point-of-interaction devices; process and store the skimmer detection test reports received in one or more activity databases; and provide a customer interface for accessing and querying information concerning one or more point-of-interaction devices, wherein the information includes skimmer detection test report data.

12. The point-of-interaction diagnostics platform of claim 11, wherein the customer interface is configured to provide a graphical user interface that can be customized to sort and / or filter the information from the one or more skimmer detection test reports based on at least one of: (i) a device serial number; (ii) a terminal model; (iii) a test date and / or time; (iv)PATENTDocket No. VFI-1061-WO a device location; (v) a test outcome; (vi) a tester identification; and / or (vii) a merchant identification.

13. The point-of-interaction diagnostics platform of claim 11, further comprising the plurality of point-of-interaction devices, wherein each point-of-interaction device comprises: a display device; a contactless card reader configured to detect near-field communication (NFC) signals associated with a contactless smartcard; a smartcard reader having a card reader slot and a card presence detection switch, the card presence detection switch being configured to detect proper insertion of a smartcard into the card reader slot; a networking component configured to securely connect the point-of-interaction device to one or more wired and / or wireless communications networks; at least one processor in communication with the contactless card reader, the smartcard reader, and the display device; and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the point-of-interaction device to perform the following operations: receive, from a near-field communication (NFC) tag of a skimmer detection tool, an NFC signal; initiate, via the at least one processor, a skimmer testing mode; display, on the display device, instructions for conducting a skimmer detection test using the skimmer detection tool based on the received NFC signal, wherein the skimmer detection test includes inserting a card reader insertion plate of the skimmer detection tool into a card reader slot of the point-of-interaction device; determine whether the card reader insertion plate of the skimmer detection tool triggered the card presence detection switch of the smartcard reader within a predetermined period of time; generate, via the at least one processor, a skimmer detection test report based on whether the card presence detection switch of the smartcard reader was triggered within the predetermined period of time; and transmit, via the networking component and the communications networks, the skimmer detection test report to an estate management server.PATENTDocket No. VFI-1061-WO14. The point-of-interaction diagnostics platform of claim 11, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of the estate management server further comprises instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the estate management server to perform the following operations: query the one or more activity databases to determine whether a skimmer detection test report has not been performed for at least one point-of-interaction device of the plurality of point-of-interaction devices within a customizable predetermined period; and sending an alert indicating that an operator should perform a skimmer detection test of the at least one point-of-interaction device.

15. A method for detecting the presence of a skimmer at a point-of-interaction device comprising a smartcard reader, the method comprising: receiving, via a contactless reader of the point-of-interaction device, an NFC signal from an NFC tag of a skimmer detection tool; initiating, via at least one processor of the point-of-interaction device, a skimmer testing mode; displaying, on a display device of the point-of-interaction device, instructions for conducting a skimmer detection test using the skimmer detection tool based on the received NFC signal, wherein the skimmer detection test includes inserting a card reader insertion plate of the skimmer detection tool into a card reader slot of the smartcard reader; determining, via the at least one processor of the point-of-interaction device, whether the card reader insertion plate of the skimmer detection tool successfully triggered a card presence detection switch disposed within the card reader slot of the smartcard reader; and generating, via the at least one processor, a skimmer detection test report based on whether the card presence detection switch of the smartcard reader was triggered.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising: after initiating the skimmer testing mode, starting, via the at least one processor of the point-of-interaction device, an insertion timer counting down from a predetermined amount of time; determining whether the card reader insertion plate of the skimmer detection tool successfully triggered the card presence detection switch disposed within the card reader slot of the smartcard reader before the insertion timer ended; andPATENTDocket No. VFI-1061-WO generating the skimmer detection test report based on whether the card presence detection switch of the smartcard reader was triggered before the insertion timer ended.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein initiating the skimmer testing mode disables one or more transaction-related functions of the point-of-interaction device.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising: transmitting, via a networking component of the point-of-interaction device, the skimmer detection test report to an estate management server of a point-of-interaction diagnostics platform.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising: receiving, at the estate management server, one or more skimmer detection test reports from one or more of a plurality of point-of-interaction devices; processing and storing, at the estate management server, the skimmer detection test reports received in one or more activity databases.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising: accessing the estate management server via a customer interface at a customer device; querying, via the customer interface, the estate management server for information concerning the skimmer detection test reports for one or more point-of-interaction devices; and generating, via the customer interface; a graphical user interface displaying the information concerning the skimmer detection test reports for one or more point-of-interaction devices.

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