Credit card skimming schemes have picked up in San Diego County, and the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department is teaming up with other local and federal agencies to investigate the surge.
“Skimmers” are electronic devices installed surreptitiously on gas station pumps, ATMs and point-of-sale card readers that allow thieves to copy card numbers and personal information. Thieves can then make duplicate cards or shop online with little or no hassle.
In some cases, tiny cameras that record you while entering your pin accompany a skimming device.
Multiple skimming incidents have been reported at a 7-eleven gas station on Jamacha Road and Chase Avenue dating back to December of last year, as well as a nearby 7-Eleven on Avocado Boulevard.
While those incidents continue to be investigated by authorities independently (7-eleven says that it has resolved the issue), local and federal law enforcement are involved in a county-wide investigation of the popular scheme.
Similar incidents at a Mobile Gas Station on Paseo Montablan in Rancho Pensaquitos have also been reported recently.
The Sheriff’s Department provided tips to help gas station customers avoid being victimized.
- Use the gas pump closest to the building. Most skimmers are installed at pumps furthest away from the view of the clerk.
- Every gas pump has a seal on its panels to reassure customers that it has not been tampered with. Always double check to see if the seal is broken or looks like it has been altered.
- Don’t use a card reader or keypad that is loose or raised above the surface of the gas pump panel.
- Use cash or pay inside the store.
- Use a credit card at the pump when possible because they offer better fraud protection.
Gas stations aren't the only place where card users are at risk of fraud. Skimmer technology is constantly evolving and adapting to point-of-sale devices and ATM machines.
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Most point-of-sale skimming devices are low-profile overlays attached to card readers with double-sided tape. First it reads your card information and then records your pin as you type it in.
“Deep insert” skimmers, devices that are installed inside the panels of ATMs and gas pumps, can’t be seen or detected from the outside.
The Federal Trade Commission recommends keeping an eye on your card at all times during a transaction so that dishonest card handlers don’t take a picture or run it through a skimmer of their own.
The FCC also says that carrying your cards separately from your wallet can minimize the risk of fraud if your wallet is ever lost or stolen.
