9 Skimming Cases In Columbia, 19 In HoCo: Police

COLUMBIA, MD - Police have found nearly 30 skimming devices in Howard County since the beginning of the year, officials announced on Friday.

Skimmers are electronic devices placed on gas pumps to allow thieves to record credit and debit card information.

In Columbia, police said there have been nine reports of skimmers, eight of which were at Exxon stations. Elsewhere in Howard County, authorities said there have been 11 reports of skimmers so far in 2017.

Skimmers are generally placed inside the gas pump cabinets, making them hard to spot before people pay.

Police have issued tips for consumers, which are listed at the end of this article, to protect themselves. In addition, officers in Howard County have been educating business owners about suspicious behavior.

Many times, the suspects are part of a network of individuals putting skimmers on gas pumps and other areas.

Last week, Mario Eduardo Castro Ramirez, 51, and Frank Alvarez Rodriguez, 29, both of Miami, Florida, were charged in connection with an Aug. 9 incident at the Exxon in Ellicott City where police said an employee spotted them placing a device at one of the gas pumps in the 4200 block of Montgomery Road.

After they were charged with possession of a skimming device and counterfeit credit card materials, police said Ramirez was released on $5,000 bond and Rodriguez was released on $25,000 bond.

Since the beginning of the year, police said there were four other arrests after officers tracked suspects to hotel rooms where skimming devices and counterfeit materials were found.

Related: Card Skimming Device In Columbia Reported

Skimming devices have been found in the following locations in Howard County in 2017, police reported:

Aug. 12, Exxon, 4200 block of Montgomery Road, Ellicott City; two reports

Aug. 10, Exxon, 4200 block of Montgomery Road, Ellicott City

Aug. 2, Exxon, 8800 block of Centre Park Drive, Columbia; two reports

July 19, Exxon (ATM), 7300 block of Washington Boulevard, Elkridge

July 15, Exxon, 10100 block of Little Patuxent Parkway, Columbia

June 26, Exxon, 8200 block of Snowden River Parkway, Columbia

June 12, Exxon, 8300 block of Benson Drive, Columbia

June 9, Exxon, 4200 block of Montgomery Road, Ellicott City

May 24, Turf Valley Hotel, 2700 block of Turf Valley Road, Ellicott City

May 17, Exxon, 8800 block of Centre Park Drive, Columbia

May 2, Exxon, 8800 block of Centre Park Drive, Columbia

April 29, Tower FCU (ATM), 9000 block of Snowden River Parkway, Columbia

March 2, Exxon, 8200 block of Snowden River Parkway, Columbia

March 1, Sleep Inn, 10100 North 2nd Street, Laurel

Feb. 4, Hess, 6300 block of Washington Boulevard, Elkridge

Jan. 23, BP, 5800 block Washington Boulevard, Laurel

Jan. 16, Shell, 6200 block of Washington Boulevard, Elkridge

Police have encouraged gas station owners to use security seals on their gas pumps letting people know that the machines have been inspected. Often, the skimmers are placed behind the cabinet panel where consumers cannot see them but gas station operators can.

_{Photo courtesy of the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office}

Credit card information recorded from the skimming devices is usually either used or sold by the suspect, and the victim's bank account can be drained.

Here are ways that consumers can avoid skimmers, according to the Howard County Police Department:

• Pay inside or use a gas pump that is within the view of the gas station attendant.
• Use credit instead of debit so money will not immediately be taken from the account.
• Check for signs of tampering, like loose buttons, a crooked card scanner or broken security seal.

Main photo of security label at gas pump, courtesy of the Federal Trade Commission.