The invention relates to blocking fraudulent gathering of credit card and debit card information during a legitimate payment transaction at a credit/debit card reader. The invention includes the installation, preferably in a non-uniform manner, of blockers onto one or more faces or surfaces of the card reader. Properly installed blockers will tend to prevent the easy installation of a flush mounted skimmer device that is designed to overlay the legitimate card reader at a store or point of sale location such as a gasoline pump.