Florida Has Found About 900 Skimmers in 2019

Florida has issued a warning to watch out for skimmers on gas pumps that read customers’ financial information, almost 900 of which have been found so far this year.

“Our team inspects hundreds of thousands of gas pumps each year, but consumer awareness can prevent fraud before it happens,” said Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services (FDACS) Commissioner Nikki Fried, according to WPTV.

According to the state’s website, “Card skimmers are small electronic devices that collect information from the magnetic strip on your credit or debit card when it is swiped during a transaction. Initially these devices were attached to card readers on the outside of the gas pump, but now scammers are installing them inside the pump and often employing Bluetooth technology or integrated cell phone components to transmit card and PIN information. These devices are largely undetectable unless the pump is opened for maintenance or inspection.”
FDACS recommends that gas station customers either pay inside the store, use a gas pump close to the front of the store, and to use a credit card chip reader if possible.

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