ICYMI: More Skimmers Found at Bay Area Gas Stations

Tampa Bay area residents are once again being warned to exercise caution when they pay for gas at the pump.

This time the reminder comes out of Pasco County where the sheriff’s office says two skimmers were found in Wesley Chapel on Wednesday. Authorities recovered a device at the 2330 Willow Oak Drive BP Station and another one from the 26556 Wesley Chapel Blvd. Marathon station.

According to sheriff’s office spokesman Kevin Doll, both skimmers were installed internally into the pumps. That means they were not necessarily visible to those who paid at the pump. The good news, however, is that neither was Bluetooth equipped to send information instantly to the thieves who attached the devices to the pumps.

“It is believed that the suspect(s) were denied access to any credit card numbers,” the sheriff’s office wrote on its Facebook page.

Skimmers are high-tech devices meant to capture a person’s debit or credit card information when a card is swiped at the pump. Skimmers are generally placed inside gas pump cabinets, making them very difficult for motorists to spot before they pay.

See Also:

• Results of Statewide Gas Pump Skimmer Sweep Announced
• Credit Card Skimmers Found at Gas Pumps in 2 Area Counties
• Credit Card Skimmers: What You Need to Know

Doll said detectives are reviewing surveillance footage from the two Wesley Chapel stations to glean suspect information in the cases. In the meantime, anyone with information about the crimes is asked to call the sheriff’s office at 727-847-5878.

Wednesday’s find comes on the heels of a statewide sweep to ferret out credit card skimmers at gas pumps. In April, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services announced it had worked with local law enforcement agencies across the state to check more than 6,000 gas stations. All told, about 81 skimmers turned up.

To protect against illegal skimming, motorists are warned to exercise caution at the pump. Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Det. Larry McKinnon and the state recommend following these tips:

• Only use gas pumps that require ZIP code entry because that provides another layer of protection against skimmers
• Check to make sure the gas pump dispenser cabinet is closed and has not been tampered with
• Feel the slot where a card is inserted to make sure it is not loose
• Use a pump as close to the front of the store as possible
• If using a debit card, run it as credit instead of using the PIN number

Thieves don’t just stake out gas stations for stealing credit card information, McKinnon warned. With that in mind, he recommends using credit cards at other locations when possible and getting into the routine of checking statements as frequently as possible. If fraudulent charges are detected on a debit or credit card, it’s also important to alert the issuing bank right away.

For more information about how to safeguard against credit card fraud, visit theFederal Trade Commission online.

Photo courtesy of the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office