2 Credit Card Skimmers Found On Sarasota Pumps

SARASOTA, FL — Motorists who fuel up using credit or debit cards at the pumps are once again being warned to check their receipts.

The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office says two credit card skimmers were found inside gas pumps at a Fruitville Road station on Sunday. According to the agency, a service tech found the devices inside the pumps at the 7-Eleven/Mobil station at 5891 Fruitville Road around 5:30 p.m.

“Employees at the gas station first noticed a broken security seal around 2:30 p.m. on Saturday while emptying the trash,” an email from the sheriff’s office said. “They immediately notified the fueling company who sent out a service tech Sunday afternoon. Both skimmers were removed and collected as evidence.”

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.

Credit card skimmers are an ongoing concern in Florida. Last 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.

There have been two other recently reported cases of skimmers found on Sarasota gas pumps. The Sarasota Police Department found a skimmer at the Exxon at 1841 S. Tamiami Trail in mid-February and another one was recovered from 2000 N. Washington Blvd. earlier that month.

To protect against illegal skimming, motorists are warned to exercise caution at the pump. Law enforcement recommends motorists heed the following tips when filling up:

• 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

If fraudulent charges are detected on a debit or credit card, it’s important to alert the issuing bank right away, law enforcement officials say.

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

Photos courtesy of the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office

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