You wouldn’t believe your local gas station is a cybercriminal hotspot. But you’d be wrong These crafty thieves have been tearing people down at gas stations for years.
The most common method is card skimming and can be done in no time. Criminals attach a card reader to the toll booth at the pump and record your credit / debit card details. Tap or click to see the difference between skimmer and shimmer.
Without realizing that your card has been skimmed off or cloned, the criminals can withdraw all of your money from your account in a matter of minutes. Fortunately, there is a new way to identify these dangerous devices.
Here is the back story
Before we could swipe our card at the pump and fill up the vehicle, we had to go to the store, stand in line and pay for the gas manually. That is, if you remember your pump number. Card readers at the pump allow us to pay, fill up and drive off without having to go further than the pump itself.
But convenience comes with technological dangers, such as card readers or card cloning machines that criminals use. The technology is hard to spot if you don’t know what to look for.
The best way to detect a tampered card reader or gas pump is to investigate it thoroughly. Make sure it hasn’t been opened and the security seal is intact and appears to be okay. If you are concerned, touch the reader and move it around. If a device comes off easily, it has likely been tampered with. In some cases, criminals present an identical reader to the real one.
There are apps to detect skimmers
Technology is used to steal your information, but it can also protect you from criminals. There are several apps out there to thwart Skimmers as criminals become more and more sophisticated in their methods. Recently, criminals have been using devices that send out radio signals and an app can help you spot them.
For iOS
Map skimmer locator
The iOS app helps you to find all map skimmers that transmit signals via Bluetooth Low Energy. “If the scan detects a possible skimmer, it displays a warning sign and the possible name of the skimmer,†explains the app.
It also warns that you should not rely solely on the application and use it in conjunction with other detection methods as mentioned earlier in this article.
For Android
ATM skimmer detector
For Android users, ATM Skimmer Detector offers the same functionality as similar iOS versions. It also uses a bluetooth signal to detect potential map skimmers in your area, not just at ATMs but at gas stations as well. When a skimmer is detected, the application will be displayed with a red warning message.
The FTC has also warned customers to be vigilant about card skimmers. “Criminals sell the stolen data or use it to buy things online. They won’t know your information has been stolen until you get your bank statement or an overdraft notice, â€she warned.
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