If you’ve checked out at Walmart recently, you may have noticed a new bright yellow ring wrapped tightly around the credit card machine.
That’s not just for looks—it’s Walmart’s latest move to fight card skimming at self-checkouts.
A user on Reddit, @mateor360, shared a photo of the new setup in the r/walmart subreddit, writing, “My manager called it a chastity belt for the pin pad.” And honestly, that’s not a bad way to describe it.
The yellow rim wraps closely around the PIN pad, making it much harder for criminals to attach skimming devices—those hidden tools that steal your card info.
It’s unclear whether all Walmart locations are getting this upgrade, but the post sparked conversation among Reddit users.
What exactly is card skimming?
According to the FBI, skimming happens when criminals attach illegal devices to card readers—often ones that look identical to real parts of the machine.
When you swipe or insert your card, the skimming device captures your data, which they can then use to make fraudulent purchases.
These devices can be hard to spot, and that’s what makes them dangerous.
However, the FBI advises customers to stay alert when using self-checkout machines or ATMs.
That means checking to make sure the keypad isn’t loose, looking around for any hidden cameras, and monitoring your bank transactions regularly for anything that looks off.
Reactions to the change
In the comments under the Reddit post, one user pointed out the design’s purpose:
“An apt comparison, as it is designed to protect against skimmers.”
“If they can catch skip scanning when people are stealing products or they have all these cameras… why can’t they see anyone putting a credit card scanner on the credit card machine and check out?” asked another. “I don’t get it. But again, this yellow thing around it is a good thing.”
“This design looks a bit better and more involved than just the little rectangle with our logo on it, to the side,” wrote a third. “I like this better.”
Whether the change will be enough to stop skimming attempts remains to be seen—but it’s clear Walmart is stepping things up.
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