DEVICE FOR READING MAGNETIC RECORDING MEDIUM

摘要

A card reader (1) has an insertion port (22) in which a magnetic card (21) is to be inserted, a magnetic field generating unit (8) that is provided near the insertion port (22) and generates an interfering magnetic field to disturb illegal reading of data recorded in the magnetic card (21), and a magnetic field control unit (9) that controls the magnetic field generating unit (8). The magnetic field control unit (9) detects a change in the interfering magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generating unit (8) and detects a metal member installed near the insertion port (22) based on the detection result. In such a manner, without providing a dedicated sensor to detect a skimmer (illegal reading device), a skimmer including a metal member as a component can be detected by detecting a change in the interfering magnetic field.