COLUMBUS – Dublin police say a credit-card skimmer was found on a pump at a gas station, raising the possibility that customers’ bank information was stolen.
A representative with the Franklin County Auditor’s told police he found the skimming device on a pump at the Marathon gas station at 215 W. Bridge Street Tuesday, says Lindsay Weisenauer, senior public information officer for the City of Dublin.
The device has been removed and Weisenauer says police are investigating.
Tips for avoiding a skimmer at the gas pump
Make sure the gas pump panel is closed and doesn’t show signs of tampering.
Take a good look at the card reader itself. Does it look different than other readers at the station?
If the card reader wiggles, report it to the attendant and use a different pump.
If you use a debit card, run it as a credit card instead of entering a PIN. That way, the PIN is safe.
If that’s not an option, cover your hand when entering your PIN. Scammers sometimes use tiny pinhole cameras, situated above the keypad area, to record PIN entries.
If you’re really concerned about skimmers, you can pay inside rather than at the pump.
Monitor your credit card and bank accounts regularly to spot unauthorized charges.
-Source Federal Trade Commission
If you think you are a victim of stolen credit card information, contact the Dublin police at 614-889-1112
Officials recommend anyone who used a card at the station in the past week should check their credit card statements for any suspicious activity and contact their credit card company if they notice any purchases they did not make.