Credit Card Skimmers Found At Another Watsonville Gas Station

WATSONVILLE, CA — For the second time in less than a month, credit card skimmers have been found at a Watsonville gas station.

Two skimmers were found Tuesday at Gomez Gas during a routine check at the Main Street location by a state investigator.

Five credit card skimmers were found at Watsonville's East Lake Gas on Nov. 12.

Skimmers are secretly installed by thieves to steal unsuspecting customers' credit card data. In about 60 seconds, thieves manage to install these devices at gas pumps to then turn around and steal customers’ bank card information, the Watsonville Police Department said Wednesday in a statement on social media.

Watsonville police Det. Rudy Lopez said the state investigator who visited Gomez Gas was able to provide local detectives with additional information on what to look for and how to identify skimmers. No other skimmers were found in the city.

As of Wednesday, Watsonville police said they were unaware of any victims from the Gomez Gas case. Detectives are continuing to work with the Secret Service and are sending the seized credit card skimmers for DNA analysis.

Some people who filled up at East Lake did report seeing strange activity on their bank accounts. After that incident, the Watsonville Police Department announced it was working with the Secret Service to identify two men who may be part of an organized crime ring that is cloning bank cards to steal money from victims' accounts.

Fake cards that were made after stealing bank information via the East Lake skimmers were then used to withdraw hundreds of dollars in cash from a local bank ATM machine, according to Watsonville police.

Detective Lopez offered tips for local motorists: go inside stations to pay for gas and use cash when possible.