Be very careful. Someone wants to be with you. Many people don’t realize how easy it is for criminals to obtain their personal information without breaking into their homes. In public places, criminals may just engage in what authorities call “shoulder surfing,” observing from a nearby area as someone punches his or her own credit card number or PIN or listening in on a conversation as somebody dictates his or her credit numbers via telephone to a hotel or a certain company.
Even areas that we believed were not appealing to identity thieves are now being over run by criminals with bad intentions. Gasoline pump stations for instance. Since 2011, gasoline station identity theft has been a growing problem for the US and UK. News reports say that thieves steal the identities of the customers who swipe their credit cards or debit cards at fuel pump processing terminals. And the rate of occurrences of stolen identity is rising at an alarming rate. How can one protect his or her financial information from these thieves?
What is gas station identity theft and how does this happen?
The process is also called “skimming.” More often than not, the thieves initiate gas station identity theft from gasoline station customers by installing a device called a “skimmer.” The Skimmer is a little electronic device that is often placed on the card processing terminals of a gasoline pump. This device can save all the digital information scanned at the processing terminal, recording every credit card number, expiration date, and verification codes of every customer or consumer that uses a card to pay for gas at the pump. Thieves install pinhole cameras on the skimmers too. These cameras are used to observe the customers as they punch-in their PIN codes for their accounts on the processing terminals. These cameras will also serve as their backup in case the skimmers fail to capture some data.
Once these devices are installed, the thieves leave it there for several weeks or months. Afterwards, they then uninstall and scan the skimmers and access hundreds or even thousands of credit card numbers and debit card accounts; all bearing the names, security codes, even the PINS of the customers. Most skimmer devices can gather up to 2, 400 credit cards information. Some modern skimmers do not have to be uninstalled. These skimmers have wireless transmitters that transmit the stolen data to a nearby criminal with a laptop. Depending on the device, it can transmit or can be accessed from within 30 feet via Bluetooth. The financial information gathered is either sold online or the thieves make fake cards out of them and drain the accounts.
How does one protect his identity while at the Fuel Pumps?
When using the card, the consumer must select the “credit” option and not the “debit” option. According to experts, this option provides the consumers with greater protection, where a liability is limited to $50 and the PIN is not entered. Should the customer choose to pay via the “debit” option, he or she must pay at the cashier’s window where signature debit is oftentimes required or available instead of PIN. Though it is sometimes less convenient, it is still preferable to having your identity stolen. Also, paying with cash is a better option. Obviously, this payment scheme never discloses any bank information of the customer and thus prevents stolen identity.
The customer or consumer must also be observant when using card processing terminals on the gasoline pumps. If the terminal looks or feels loose or it appears to have been glued or taped on the machine, then the consumer should avoid using it and transfer to another pump with a better-looking card terminal. The consumer should also be wary of any suspicious activity within the vicinity of the station. Should the consumer notice something amiss, local authorities must be contacted right away.
Using credit cards instead of debit cards is preferable when paying at the pump. Should the thieves get hold of the consumer’s bank account, they could empty the bank account to the last dollar. Most banks do not provide 100% debit card protection, and even if the bank does, it will take several months to return the debited amount. Should this happen, there is no other way for the consumer to retrieve his or her hard-earned savings.
With credit cards, the thieves can just make fraudulent purchases, but they cannot touch the hard-earned savings. Besides, credit card companies oftentimes offer consumers protection and allow their customers to dispute fraudulent charges. In addition, credit card usage is also advantageous at gasoline stations that offer rebates and promos on gas purchases and other items.
Consumers are also advised not to use gasoline pumps with card processing machines that are far from the cashier or a building. Most likely, these pumps are the common slots where the skimming machines are installed by the identity thieves. Since these fuel pumps are far from the security cameras, it is easier for the thieves to install, monitor, and gather information from the consumers that use them.
Billing statements must also be checked regularly to detect signs of a stolen identity. It is one of the quickest ways to find out if there are fraudulent charges on the consumer’s account. Too many credit card users just throw a quick glance at the billing and account statements without giving further review to the contents, especially the debits and charges to make sure there are no unauthorized charges or withdrawals. Should the consumer see something amiss in his or her statement, he or she should contact his/her bank or credit card company right away to report the incident.
Have you ever been a victim of identity theft at a gasoline station? Do you want to increase your identity protection when pumping some gas in your car? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
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