ATLANTA — Law enforcement officials are issuing a warning about credit card skimming at local gas stations.
Sources told Channel 2’s Dave Huddleston that the thieves pretend to be fuel pump inspectors so they can easily put skimming devices on credit card readers. Police say it is a billion-dollar industry.
Once we told state officials about the scam, they immediately put a plan into place.
Huddleston sat down with Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black, who said, "We've put together very quickly a pictorial directory of our team so region by region, folks that are operating gas stations, should an impostor come on the premises, they will be prepared to know whether their credentials are accurate or not."
Miguel Mayo of south Fulton County told us it’s already happened to him once.
Mayo said after using his credit card at a small gas station last year, he got a call from his bank saying his credit card information had been stolen. The bank immediately canceled his card.
He says he still uses his card at the pump, but only at big, established gas stations.
Commissioner Black said check to make sure the gas pump dispenser cabinet is closed and has not been tampered with before using it. He also says to use a gas pump closer to the front of the store because thieves often place skimmers at gas pumps father away so they are not noticed as quickly.
Black also tells customers to use a credit card instead of a debit card because credit cards have better fraud protection and the money is not deducted immediately from an account.
WSBTV
