(July 27, 2017) The Worcester County Sheriff’s Office is asking the public to stay alert after a pair of illegal credit card skimmers were recently discovered attached to gas station pumps in Ocean City and Pocomoke.
Sheriff’s Office spokesman Lt. Ed Schreier said the Worcester County Bureau of Investigations is looking into both cases.
“They have reason to believe that they are related,” he said.
While scant details are available about the ongoing investigations, Schreier said avoiding becoming a victim of data thieves is relatively easy in most instances.
“If you don’t feel comfortable paying at the pump, go inside,” he said.
The Pocomoke incident was more problematic for consumers, Schreier said.
“This gas station didn’t have that option – it’s an unattended pump,” he said. “Anybody can use it at any time of the day. There’s really no one maintaining it.”
Unlike many card skimmers that are simply attached to the outside of a gas pumps credit card reader, Schreier said the Pocomoke culprits managed to install the device inside of the locked pump.
“You can almost use any key to get inside of them,” he said. “They’re not the highest-quality locks.”
After the card-skimming device is planted, accessing data is not difficult, Schreier said.
“Once they get into it and install the device, they can come back at anytime in the proximity of it and pull data off via Bluetooth,” he said.
More often than not, data pirates simply slap a card reader overtop of the actual reader, which Schreier said could be easily uncovered by giving a tug prior to inserting your plastic into a gas pump card reader or an ATM.
“Your ATM at your bank, check it and pull on it,” he said. “Those are constantly being checked, but you never know when somebody can put one on the outside, so you’ve got to pull on it.”
Worse yet, Schreier said data thieves often install discrete cameras strategically placed to capture pin numbers when entered.
“They are capturing the data through not only reading the magnetic strips on the card, but capturing the identification numbers you’re putting in,” he said. “Cover the keypad if you’re entering data.”
Often tiny cameras will be discreetly placed above or below the keypad, which Schreier said could be detected by running your hand along the surface.
“If you feel that’s its not smooth, if you feel something, it may have a camera up in there,” he said. “It’s good to look up, look around and see if there’s a tiny camera looking down at the keypad.”
While the investigation into the card skimmers installed in Ocean City and Pocomoke continues, Schreier advised the public to be cautious
“We just keep putting the message out there to be very vigilant with your cards,” he said. “Don’t take anything for granted.”
Sheriff’s Office spokesman Lt. Ed Schreier said the Worcester County Bureau of Investigations is looking into both cases.
“They have reason to believe that they are related,” he said.
While scant details are available about the ongoing investigations, Schreier said avoiding becoming a victim of data thieves is relatively easy in most instances.
“If you don’t feel comfortable paying at the pump, go inside,” he said.
The Pocomoke incident was more problematic for consumers, Schreier said.
“This gas station didn’t have that option – it’s an unattended pump,” he said. “Anybody can use it at any time of the day. There’s really no one maintaining it.”
Unlike many card skimmers that are simply attached to the outside of a gas pumps credit card reader, Schreier said the Pocomoke culprits managed to install the device inside of the locked pump.
“You can almost use any key to get inside of them,” he said. “They’re not the highest-quality locks.”
After the card-skimming device is planted, accessing data is not difficult, Schreier said.
“Once they get into it and install the device, they can come back at anytime in the proximity of it and pull data off via Bluetooth,” he said.
More often than not, data pirates simply slap a card reader overtop of the actual reader, which Schreier said could be easily uncovered by giving a tug prior to inserting your plastic into a gas pump card reader or an ATM.
“Your ATM at your bank, check it and pull on it,” he said. “Those are constantly being checked, but you never know when somebody can put one on the outside, so you’ve got to pull on it.”
Worse yet, Schreier said data thieves often install discrete cameras strategically placed to capture pin numbers when entered.
“They are capturing the data through not only reading the magnetic strips on the card, but capturing the identification numbers you’re putting in,” he said. “Cover the keypad if you’re entering data.”
Often tiny cameras will be discreetly placed above or below the keypad, which Schreier said could be detected by running your hand along the surface.
“If you feel that’s its not smooth, if you feel something, it may have a camera up in there,” he said. “It’s good to look up, look around and see if there’s a tiny camera looking down at the keypad.”
While the investigation into the card skimmers installed in Ocean City and Pocomoke continues, Schreier advised the public to be cautious
“We just keep putting the message out there to be very vigilant with your cards,” he said. “Don’t take anything for granted.”