Better Business Bureau Provides Safety Guidelines Regarding Card Skimmers
Following the recent uncovering of six card skimmers at two gas stations in Spartanburg County, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) of the Upstate has offered some safety tips to help consumers avoid falling victim to such scams. A card skimmer is a device designed to steal banking card numbers from card readers. These devices are often found at ATMs, gas stations, restaurants, and retail stores.
Understanding the Threat Posed by Card Skimmers
Card skimmers can be exceedingly difficult to spot. This is primarily due to their design, which often appears to be part of the terminal. As pointed out by Hunter Jones, President of the Better Business Bureau of the Upstate, these incidents occur all over the United States and have resulted in consumers losing thousands of dollars.
Earlier in the week, four skimmers were found at a Valero gas station in Cowpens. According to Jones, the process of credit card skimming occurs when a consumer enters their card into the slot. This is the point at which scammers retrieve the credit card information. Following this, two more skimmers were discovered at another Valero gas station pump in Spartanburg.
Identifying Card Skimmers at Gas Stations
One notable characteristic of the card skimmers discovered at the Spartanburg station is that they appeared to be a Bluetooth device plugged into the card reader. Jones underscored the ease with which these devices may be installed, as scammers might install card skimmers either during the night or in broad daylight without ever attracting attention.
Protecting Yourself from Card Skimmers
In light of the ongoing threat posed by card skimmers, Jones shared several safety tips. One of these is to check for the inspection stickers commonly found around the pump before filling up. If these stickers are broken, consumers should immediately notify a station attendant. Jones also advised against shaking or moving things, as this could potentially cause damage to the gas pump.
The Better Business Bureau additionally recommends checking for any discoloration around the card reader and considering paying with cash when possible. Jones also advised consumers of what to do when entering their card: “If you feel any kind of resistance whatsoever or it doesn’t wanna give your card back, that’s a red flag and you might want to check with the attendant inside.”
If a consumer suspects they may have fallen victim to a skimming scam, they are advised to visit annualcreditreport.com. There, they can check all three credit reporting agencies to see if anything has been taken out with their name and personal information.
