We recently took a closer look at card skimming devices with Financial Crime Officer, Detective Francis from the Joplin Police Department. In this segment we're taking a look at the high risk areas where credit card skimming can happen.
We've all heard of the obvious credit card fraud schemes. A random pop up letting you know you just won money and asks you to click on the link to claim your prize or receiving calls from a "no caller ID" saying your IRS bill is overdue and a payment is due immediately. However, when it comes to paying at the pump or even inside a store, we automatically assume we're safe.
According to the Identity Theft Resource Center, the top five places credit card skimming can occur are:
pump card reader has been compromised? He suggested two be on the lookout for anything that seems odd or out of place. Best practice is ask yourself:
While doing this every time might seem time consuming, in real-time it’s just a couple of seconds and can save you a lot of money and hassle down the road.
Where is malware located?
According to Detective Francis these devices often use Bluetooth technology and the criminals are nearby. He says that there are some things that the public can do if they suspect tampering. Safety is the number one priority.
Additional Preventative Measures
Not all malware can be seen from the point of sale. You may perform all the precautionary checks and still be vulnerable to fraud. There is not a lot of help available as far as apps, but one of our fuel vendors does have a mobile fuel app. Pilot Flying J’s myPilot app is designed to make life easier and safer. Using the mobile fueling feature, you can choose the diesel lane that's likely to open first, securely save your payment cards and store your payment card prompts for future use.
How to use it:
Remember to stay vigilant with your information. In our final segment we will talk about the steps to take if you find yourself victim of credit card fraud.