Skimmers are small electronic devices that are easily installed by an identity thief on gas pumps, ATMs and other card reading devices.  A skimmer steals all of the information from old style magnetic strip credit card or debit cards which then enables the identity thief to use that information to access the victim’s bank account when the skimmer is used on a debit card.  If a credit card is used, the identity thief can use the stolen information to access the victim’s credit card account.  Each skimmer can hold information on as many as 2,400 cards.
MasterCard and Visa announced in December of 2016 that the deadline for the installation of EMV chip card readers on gas pumps was being delayed three years to October 1, 2020. Wider implementation of the use of EMV chip cards at retail stores where their use has been mandated for three years has resulted in a dramatic reduction in data breaches and credit card fraud at retailers using this equipment.   The deadline for the installation of EMV chip card readers at gas pumps was originally scheduled for October 1, 2017.  Around the country there has been an increase in the use of skimmers installed by criminals at gas pumps.
Recently Yoel Graveran-Pacios was convicted in federal court of installing skimmers in gas pumps in the Tampa, Florida area and using the hundreds of stolen credit card numbers to create phony credit cards which they used to buy merchandise that they later returned for cash. Following his conviction, Graveran-Pacios was sentenced to nine years in federal prison.
TIPS
Always look for signs of tampering on any machine you use to swipe your credit card or debit card although the more advanced forms of skimmers are installed in the gas pump’s interior and cannot be detected from an inspection of the outside of the pump. Keys to open the gas pumps to allow the installation of the skimmer are readily available online.  If the card inserting mechanism appears loose or in any other way tampered, don’t use it.   Debit cards, when compromised through a skimmer put the customers at risk of having the bank accounts tied to their cards entirely emptied if the theft is not promptly reported and even if the victim reports the theft immediately, the victim loses access to his or her bank account while the matter is investigated by the bank. Debit cards should not be used for purchases at gas pump. Instead use your credit card and monitor your account regularly to find out early if you have become a victim of this scam. With a credit card, your liability for fraudulent purchases is limited by law to no more than $50 and I am not aware of any credit card companies that hold their customers responsible for any fraudulent purchases. However, fraudulent debit purchases do not come with the same legal protection.
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