KCOY Santa Maria, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo - News-Credit Card Skimmer Found Inside Gas Pump in Pismo

Credit Card Skimmer Found Inside Gas Pump in Pismo

4/21/09

PISMO BEACH - Pismo Beach Police say someone forced their way inside gas pump number four at the Unocal 76 Station on Five Cities Drive by picking the lock and installing the "skimming" device on the inside of the machine.

"They had some kind of collection device in between the board and the card skimmer", says the station owner who requested anonymity.

The skimming device could not be seen from the outside.

High-tech thieves were looking to record credit card numbers and or PIN numbers to personal bank accounts from anyone using the gas pump.

"Part of the skimmers' track or one of the scheme's is that it keeps your card and this person will come up next to you and try to help you with the card", says Pismo Beach Police Detective Sergeant Tom Portz, "and he'll be trying to obtain you PIN number or your identification number as he's trying to help you."

Neither Pismo Beach Police nor gas station management knows how long the device was inside the gas pump before it was detected.

"The credit card company will notify the customer before they even know what's happened", says the station owner.

But it's believed to be the first time in Pismo Beach a skimming device has been found inside a gas pump.

Police say skimming devices can easily be bought on E-Bay and remind everyone to be aware of their surroundings whenever using a credit card of bank debit card.

"In the Central Coast area this hasn't been a real big problem so far", Portz says, "it's more the big metropolitan areas. What you have to be aware of at grocery store is somebody looking over your shoulder and stealing your PIN number or taking a picture of your check from their cell phones over your shoulder or things along that line."

If you're suspicious of a possible skimming device or anyone offering to help you at a card swiping machine contact management at the business immediately or report it to police.

If you have any information about the skimming investigation at the Unocal 76 Station on Five Cities Drive call the Pismo Beach Police Department or Crimestoppers at 549-STOP.