Gas is already expensive enough, now it has been made even harder with a new scam that could hit you with the swipe of a card.
When you pump gas and use a debit card, there already for years has been a worry that information could get stolen. You may have heard about the devices they stick onto the card reader that will pull information, called skimming. Now, scammers are getting even sneakier with a device that could be completely unnoticeable.
Customer at Petrol Station
Shimming is a new term and is what the Better Business Bureau is calling the action scammers are taking.
“A shimming device is a paper-thin card size device with an embedded microchip and flash storage,” said Planos. “So they put these into the slot where you’re reading the chip side of your credit or debit card.” – Josh Planos, Vice President of Communications & Public Relations at the Better Business Bureau.
Hand Swiping Card at ATM/Gas Pump (Close-Up)
How can you prevent yourself from becoming a victim of shimming? Well, the solution is pretty simple, the Better Business Bureau is advising to avoid using a debit card at the pump completely. They do say if you absolutely must pay at the pump, to use a credit card instead of a debit card.
Happy cashier at supermarket checkout
Go inside, pay for your gas ahead of time with the cashier. The scammers are hitting the card readers at the actual gas pump, not inside the store.
