CHARLOTTE, N.C. — According to Charlotte-Mecklenburg police, nearly 20 department Fuelman credit cards were compromised at a local gas station, according to a Providence division newsletter.
When officers paid for their gas at the station, an internal reader installed at the pump read and recorded the credit card’s information.
- WATCH below as Action 9's Jason Stoogenke explains how to spot skimmers:
Police said the information was then sold to users, who used the Fuelman account information to purchase fuel across the United States.
Police detected the theft and canceled the cards before the thefts could continue.
Officers said thieves are installing sophisticated devices on gas pumps, Red Box machines and other devices to steal bank card information.
Thieves capture debit card data complete with PINs to make counterfeit cards to withdraw cash at ATMs. Police said two men indicted in July for a credit card skimming operation set up in three states stole around $400,000 in a 10-month period.
Police offer the following tips to protect yourself from debit and credit card skimmers:
- Use cash when you buy gas as much as possible
- Use a credit card rather than a debit card at the gas pump
- If you must use a debit card, never type in your PIN. Instead, select the option on the screen that allows you to have your debit card purchase processed as a credit card transaction. The purchase still is debited from your checking account, but you won't need to enter your PIN, which is what the bad guys need to withdraw cash from your account at an ATM.
- Monitor your bank and credit card accounts regularly to spot unauthorized charges or cash withdrawals and report them immediately
- Look for the safety seal stickers near the card readers that are applied to the pumps to ensure they are sealed and have not been tampered with