North Dakotan’s May Want To Think Twice Before Using A Debt Card At The Pump

As North Dakotans, we may think that scams are something in more populated areas, but there is a pervasive scam that is making people wary about using their credit cards, especially when filling up with gas.

All it takes is for an identical card reading shroud to be placed over the normal card reader, and the card skimmer has been installed and is awaiting your data.

Once the skimmer has been installed, all a prospective criminal needs to do is wait for you to swipe. The skimmer reads the information off your magnetic strip as you are paying for your gas. They can then use that information anywhere in the world, or sell it to the highest bidder to go on a quick spending spree before you or your banking institute discover any fraud.

You may be putting your finances in danger by using your debit card at a gas station, which, even though fraud departments have become very proactive, the hassle is still worth precautions.

How Do You Protect Yourself Against Skimmers?

Some skimmers for gasoline pumps are nearly impossible to detect, while others may be easier to spot.

To start, give a little shake to a card reader before you use it. Does it give a little more than it should, or does it not quite fit with the rest of the device?

If the answer to either one of those questions is yes, do not use it, and promptly inform the business.

You can also take a look at card readers on other pumps to see if the one you intended on using looks the same. How similar are they?

Get our free mobile app

If you have concerns, but are still not trusting of an external card reader or you must use a debit card, you can always pre-pay inside the store rather than swiping it at the pump.