Skimmers affect consumer and companies to the tune of more than $1 billion a year, the FBI says. Here’s how to keep yourself safe.
SAN ANTONIO — A police department in Bexar County is warning drivers not to “let your guard down” after credit card skimmers were found on three pumps at a local gas station.
Authorities in Hollywood Park, the small San Antonio-area community located in the area of Highway 281 and Loop 1604, said in a Facebook post that state officials notified them about the skimmers. The devices – which are difficult to detect and enable would-be criminals to grab data from drivers’ debit or credit cards – were found by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation at the Circle K at 250 N. Loop 1604 East.
It’s believed the devices had been on the pumps for at least a month, targeting holiday-season drivers, according to Hollywood Park Police Chief Shad Prichard, who shared images of the thin skimmers to social media.
“There is not much to them, as all they have to do is collect the data from a magnetic strip,” Prichard wrote in the department’s Facebook post. “We have seen credit card clones used all the way from Florida to South America… make no mistake, they are very good at their craft.”
Prichard said Hollywood Park PD was working to obtain a tool that would allow the agency to “mitigate some of the theft of data” that might have impacted Circle K customers.
How do skimmers work?
According to the FBI, skimmers are illegally placed devices at ATMs or gas pumps that “capture card data and record cardholders’ PIN entries,” potentially enabling the use of fraudulent charges and purchases. Authorities say they can also be used to steal information of personal EBT cards.
The FBI says skimming costs companies and customers more than $1 billion a year. Just last summer, three men were arrested in connection with a multimillion-dollar card skimmer scheme that allegedly targeted ATMs across the U.S.
The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) encourages anyone who believes they may have observed a skimmer or fallen victim to one to complete and submit this form.
How you can protect yourself
There are proactive steps you can take at gas station pumps to avoid having your card’s information.
- First and foremost, the TDLR recommends, take note of the credit card reader at the pump and see if it appears to have been tampered with, or if there’s a screen shade possibly concealing a tiny camera.
- If you can, choose a pump closer to the front of the store; these are less likely to have been tampered with. (Prichard says the Hollywood Park skimmers were located on pumps located near the access road and not the convenience store.)
- If you can, pay inside with cash. If you only have a card, utilize the tap-to-pay option at the pump, which is more secure.
- Routinely monitor your bank accounts for potential fraudulent charges.
- Always use a strong PIN number, and if you receive a text, call or email asking for your PIN, never provide it that way.
“Please don’t let your guard down,” Prichard wrote after the Hollywood Park skimmers were found. “I still would like everyone to use the touch pay pad at the pump or pre-pay. You can also buy fuel prepaid cards and use them instead of a credit or debit card.”