HOW TO PREVENT BECOMING A VICTIM AT THE PUMP
- Never use a debit card when paying for gas at the pump. Thieves steal PIN numbers.
- Report any unusual activity or anything that looks out of place
- Monitor monthly bank card and credit card statements for fraudulent charges
- Use cash to pay for purchases whenever possible
- If you believe you have been a victim of a skimmer scam, notify local law enforcement as well as your bank and credit card issuer immediately.
Sources: Butler County and Montgomery County Auditor’s Offices
The Butler County Auditor’s Office will add extra inspectors after a credit card skimmer was found for the second time in three days inside a gas pump at a Butler County gas station.
An inspector discovered a skimmer Friday at the Marathon station at 7809 Cincinnati-Dayton Road in West Chester Twp.
On Wednesday, an inspector found a skimmer at the Marathon station at 6100 Dixie Highway in Fairfield.
“We continue to look for skimmers each time one of our inspectors does a pump inspection,” said Butler County Auditor Roger Reynolds, who recently hosted a skimmer summit to raise awareness of this growing criminal activity. “Thankfully we’ve found some before they could collect even more credit card information from consumers.”
When a credit card is run through a skimmer, the small device stores the cardholder’s data. Once the credit information is obtained, the thief can then sell the information or clone the credit card. All the devices found so far in the county have been located inside fuel pumps
Citing a high number of incidents, Reynolds said his office is adding extra inspectors in an effort to spot check more stations and more fuel pumps.
Last November, skimmers were found at two West Chester Twp. stations near Union Centre Blvd. and others were found at a station on Germantown Road in Madison Twp.
This is the sixth skimmer that’s been found in the county at five separate stations since November 2015. Three of the stations have been located in West Chester Township.
“The best defense is to pay with cash,” Reynolds said.
Officials, including Reynolds, who participated in a recent skimmer summit said the devices are becoming more sophisticated.
About the Author
