3 Skimming Devices Found at Gas Station in Fair Oaks Area

FAIRFAX, VA — Skimming devices were found were found inside three gas pumps Monday morning during a routine maintenance check at the Briar Oaks Service Center in the 12300 block of Lee-Jackson Memorial Highway, according to Fairfax County Police.

Such devices are designed to steal customers' debit and credit card numbers.

Financial Crimes and Crime scene detectives arrived to remove the devices, and an investigation is underway.

Last week, county police alerted residents to skimming devices found at 8 gas stations in the county in recent months, as well as a skimming device attached to the card reader at an Alexandria Walmart.

To help protect yourself from credit card fraud, detectives recommend:

• Regularly checking your financial statement for any unusual or fraudulent charges and report them to the card company immediately.
• Use credit cards to make purchases versus debit cards, as it can be more difficult to have your bank funds reimbursed.
• Inspect all credit cards readers prior to sliding your card. You may not be able to see a skimming device but look for pry marks, scratches or other signs of tampering. Report suspicious activity to police.
• If you feel you’ve been victimized by Skimming/Scammers, report it to police online through the Financial Crimes Online Reporting (FiCOR) system.

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