Credit Card Skimmers: Sarasota Police Warn Motorists To Beware

SARASOTA, FL — Law enforcement officials in Sarasota are warning motorists to beware of possible skimming devices when they fill up at the pump. Two suspected skimming devices were found at a Sarasota Citgo on Wednesday, according to Genevieve Judge of the Sarasota Police Department.

"One skimming device was found on pump #1 and one skimming device was found on pump #3," said Judge. "Both devices were removed and collected as evidence." The Citgo is located at 3580 Fruitville Road.

But skimmer fraud can happen anytime and anywhere you use your credit or debit card. Police say thieves in Florida are becoming more sophisticated in how they steal your personal information through so-called credit-card skimmers, which have been found in restaurants, gas stations and even drive-thru food businesses.

Skimmers are devices used to capture data on debit and credit cards. There have been no shortage of such incidents throughout Florida and elsewhere. They have even been reported on bank ATM machines.

First, the basics. What exactly is a card skimmer?

It's a small device that affixes to a card reader, allowing a thief to illegally collect credit and debit card information from unsuspecting customers. Most commonly, card skimmers are placed on ATMs, gas station pumps or self-checkout machines.

The typical ATM skimmer is smaller than a deck of cards and fits over an existing card reader, says PC Mag. Not sure what a card-skimming device looks like? This website shows various skimmers on ATMs, so you know what to look for in the future.

You can also look for obvious signs of tampering with an ATM or other card-accepting machine you're about to use.

The Federal Trade Commission has warned consumers, saying that while skimmers aren't new, emerging technology is making them smaller and harder to spot.

How to Protect Your ATM Card

• Use secure ATM machines under video surveillance or inside a bank lobby. They're less likely to be tampered with.
• Pay careful attention to what the card reader and keypad normally look like on the ATMs you use most frequently.
• Don't use an ATM if the card reader appears to be added on, fits poorly or is loose. Some thieves place a fake box over the card slot that reads and records account and PIN numbers.
• Inspect the machine for items that were installed over or around the PIN pad of the ATM. Look for an attachment on the ATM that contains a small hole that is pointed in the direction of the PIN pad.
• Lightly tug the area of the card slot. Most skimming devices are attached with double-sided tape for quick removal by the crooks.
• Cover the keypad with your other hand while typing your PIN. This is the best way to ensure that your PIN number is not recorded.
• If the keypad backlight is off, that's another warning sign that a skimming device could be installed, the Mic.com article says.
• Also, if the chip reader is deeper than normal, beware.

At gas stations, where you run your own card, pay attention to whether the machine feels different. You should always be able to keep a thumb on your card when you run it through the reader. Otherwise, that's a sign that there could be a skimmer installed, Mic.com reports.

The Sarasota Police Department offers these tips to help you stay safe at fuel pumps:

• Choose a fuel pump that is close to the entrance of the store.
• Use a credit card for the transaction, not a debit card.

"Experts suggest using a credit card vs. debit card since you can challenge credit card charges but a debit card is usually connected directly to a checking or savings bank account," said Judge.

• Pay inside and use cash

Judge said members of the Sarasota Police Department Street Crimes Unit partnered with the Florida Department of Agriculture to do proactive gas pump checks throughout the city earlier this week.

"All 17 gas stations in the city of Sarasota were checked in the City of Sarasota and two skimming devices were found," she said.

Customers who purchased gas at the Fruitville Road Citgo should pay close attention to bank statements and look for unusual transactions, regardless of how small they may be.

"If anything seems suspicious, customers are encouraged to contact their bank immediately," according to Sarasota police.

To report a tip regarding skimmers in Sarasota, call the Sarasota Police Department Criminal Investigations Division at 941-263-6070. Alternatively, call Crime Stoppers at 941-366-TIPS or visit www.sarasotacrimestoppers.com.