Online scams are out of control—most of us receive at least one sketchy email or text every day—but it’s equally important to remain vigilant for scams when we’re out and about. One place where we need to pay close attention is at the gas station. Gas pump skimmers can do a real number on your bank account, and according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), skimming costs financial institutions and consumers more than $1 billion each year.

Gas-station fraud commonly occurs with small devices thieves place on, in or above the card readers at gas pumps (and ATMs) to copy and steal your credit card information. Card skimmers used to be found primarily in cities, but the scam has spread into rural areas, so everyone should be on alert for these devices. The most recent data available from data analytics and credit scoring company FICO found card compromises from skimming nearly doubled in 2023 from the year prior, and they warn the skimming scam is still on the rise.

If you’re a victim of a gas station skimmer, you’ll find yourself running on empty—metaphorically, that is—as thieves go shopping on your dime. So what can you do? “The best defense, as they say, is a good offense,” says Robert Siciliano, a cybersecurity expert with ProtectNow. “And while there is no such thing as 100% security, there are a number of best practices to reduce risk.”

Keep reading for credit card security tips from Siciliano and other experts on how to spot a gas pump skimmer and protect yourself from being scammed while paying at the pump.

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What are credit card skimmers?

Credit card skimming devices are installed where you swipe your card, allowing thieves to take data off the card when you pay. “A credit card skimmer is a magnetic stripe reader placed on an existing, legitimate card reader,” says Paul Bischoff, a privacy advocate with cybersecurity website Comparitech. “Whenever a customer pays with their card, their card is read by both the skimmer and the original reader.”

How does a gas pump skimmer work?

After the gas station skimmer “reads” the card, the info is saved on the device. “A credit card skimmer transfers data from your credit card’s stripe,” says Chris Hauk, consumer privacy expert at online privacy and security company Pixel Privacy. But why gas stations? “Skimmers are usually found on gas pumps or other point-of-sale devices in areas that aren’t being monitored every minute of the day, as this allows the bad guys time to install a skimmer on a pump without being observed.” Also, scammers target gas stations because there are so many transactions in a short period of time.

And because customers see their sales go through, they don’t have any reason to suspect anything has gone awry with their purchase. “Skimmers are designed to be discreet so that the victim doesn’t notice them,” Bischoff says. “The skimmer stores scanned credit card info until the person who put it there retrieves it.”

Once the scammers have your credit card information, they’ll go on a shopping spree, potentially maxing out your card.

Do card skimmers work on chip cards?

Credit card skimmers do work on chip-enabled cards; however, they read the magnetic strip on your card, not the chip, so avoid the strip reader when possible. “Use a chip reader on the pump, if it is available,” Hauk says. Even better? Don’t insert your card at all, and tap to pay if you can.

What does a credit card skimmer look like?

To an untrained eye, gas pump card skimmers are designed to look like part of the point-of-sale hardware. They are usually bulky and plastic, stick out further than the machine and have arrows that don’t line up. The device may also wiggle because it’s not a permanently affixed piece of the machine. “Because they are attached to existing card readers, they tend to bulge out a bit,” Bischoff says. “If I’m suspicious, I’ll often give the card reader a tug and prod to make sure.”

But external skimmers aren’t the only way your credit card can be skimmed—sometimes, they’re not even visible. Siciliano says it’s becoming increasingly common for gas pumps to be skimmed internally. “This means there is a device attached in the communication lines that intercepts the card number as it travels over the internet,” Siciliano says.

Siciliano warns that when criminals gain access to the “physical keys” (such as a universal key) that allow installation inside the pump, detecting gas pump skimmers internally is very difficult. Even people trained in surveillance techniques can fall prey to these scams: One Secret Service agent who was involved in an investigation about gas pump skimmers was the victim of gas-pump fraud himself—twice.

Because even those trained in these scams often can’t tell if internal skimmers are there, it’s hard to prevent card skimming in this situation. “The single fix to this is to use the option to pay through the mobile app,” Siciliano says, which avoids the card reader all together.

Once you’ve used a card reader with a skimming device attached, it’s too late. “Whether it’s an external skimmer or an internal skimmer, the only remedy here is to pay close attention to your credit card charges in real time,” Siciliano says.

How do I know if my gas pump has a skimmer?

Before filling your tank, take a minute to inspect the gas pump. There are a few telltale signs that a pump has been tampered with and may have a gas pump skimmer attached to it or even inside it. Inspect the point-of-sale terminal by following these steps:

  • Look at the machines around you and compare the card-reading slots and keypads. If they don’t look the same, some might be equipped with credit card skimmers.
  • Inspect the lockable door on the pump (where the attendant loads paper for receipts) to make sure it’s firmly closed. There shouldn’t be any uneven gaps in the casing—that indicates tampering. Some gas stations place tamper-resistant seals over the door, which is something to look for, though not all stations take this extra step.
  • Ensure that nothing on the point-of-sale machine wiggles. Take a few seconds to verify that everything is firmly attached. Look for buttons that don’t seem to fit right or are uneven.
  • Be aware of hidden cameras that thieves may have installed to capture your PIN when you enter it. If you have to enter a PIN, cover the keypad as you use it.

How can I protect my credit card at the gas pump?

Educating yourself on how to spot a credit card skimmer and what card skimmers do is a good starting point for protecting yourself from these scams. Think of it as the first step of what should be a multi-pronged approach to gas station fraud prevention.

As a rule of thumb, exercise awareness whenever using a public pay station or when your card leaves your sight. A shop employee who takes your card into another room to run the transaction could be dipping the card into a skimmer, for instance. But at the gas station, the employees are not usually in on the scam, which gives you the advantage if you follow these simple guidelines.

Protect yourself at the pump with our experts’ tips :

  • One of the best ways to avoid being a victim of a gas pump card skimmer is to take the extra few minutes to pay inside. But this isn’t always feasible or preferable, as your time is valuable.
  • If you pay at the pump, whenever possible choose the pump closest to the building. They’re the least likely to have been tampered with because they’re so close to the attendants, who could catch them in the act. On the other hand, pumps that aren’t in the gas station attendant’s line of sight give thieves an opportunity to attach a skimming device. “Always use a pump that is in a visible part of the gas station, such as the pump right in front of the cashier’s window. High-visibility pumps are tougher to attach skimmers to,” Hauk says.
  • Don’t use a debit card, if possible. Debit card purchases take the money right out of your account, while credit purchases have a lag time for payment and often offer zero fraud liability. Should you have to use debit, run it as a credit card so you don’t have to enter your PIN.
  • Avoid swiping your card. “If at all possible, always use the chip or the Apple Pay–type payment system,” Bischoff advises. Inserting the card in the chip reader is safer than swiping your credit card’s magnetic strip, with tapping to pay or using your digital wallet even safer. Apple Pay creates a unique code for each transaction, which offers additional built-in protection.
  • If you visit the same gas stations frequently, buy gas-station gift cards. They don’t have any of your personal information connected to them, and since they have a limited value, your potential losses—should a scammer somehow get the numbers—would be relatively minimal.
  • Because scammers may use cards that have been skimmed to pay for online orders without the merchant seeing the physical card, identity theft protection company LifeLock suggests setting up alerts to let you know if your debit or credit cards are used for a “card not present” transaction of $100 or more. In addition, Siciliano recommends regularly checking your statements, especially if you often use your card in crowded areas like subways and airports.
  • You can use the gas station’s mobile gas apps for contactless payment—the app has your card info and will charge you, not the pump.

What should I do if I think my card has been skimmed?

Installing the mobile apps for your various financial accounts is a convenient way to stay on top of your transactions, but regardless of how you do it, regularly checking your credit card statements is critical, and timing can make the difference between incurring out-of-pocket costs or not. If you notice anything strange, call your credit card company right away. But because not all credit card companies offer fraud protection, you should also report the crime to your financial institution as soon as possible. How much you’re responsible for may depend on how quickly you report the compromised card.

Siciliano says the next best “after the fact” proactive strategy is setting up push notifications for your credit cards or debit cards. “This way, you know in real time if your cards are being used with or without your authorization, so you can refute unauthorized transactions as soon as possible,” he says.

If you think your card has been skimmed, you should report it to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), both to protect others from being scammed and to help the FTC break up skimming rings.

Additional reporting by Bobbi Jo Dempsey.

About the experts

  • Chris Hauk is a consumer privacy champion at Pixel Privacy. He has more than 25 years of experience in the IT industry working with Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS and Android devices across both business and personal situations. Hauk is regularly featured in the media advising consumers on how to keep their devices and data safe and secure.
  • Paul Bischoff is a privacy advocate with Comparitech, a tech research and comparison site with an emphasis on cybersecurity and consumer privacy. He has been analyzing the tech industry since 2012.
  • Robert Siciliano is a cybersecurity expert with Protect Now, a company that provides cyber security employee training that changes attitudes toward cyber security by making it personal. He is also a private investigator with 30+ years experience. His personal mission is to inform, educate and empower people so they can protect themselves and their loved ones from violence and crime in their everyday lives, both in their physical and virtual interactions.

Why trust us

Reader’s Digest has published hundreds of articles on personal technology, arming readers with the knowledge to protect themselves against cybersecurity threats and internet scams as well as revealing the best tips, tricks and shortcuts for computers, cellphones, apps, texting, social media and more. For this piece on gas pump skimmers, Jaime Stathis tapped her experience as a journalist who has written dozens of articles about scams and digital security for Reader’s Digest to ensure that all information is accurate and offers the best possible advice to readers. We rely on credentialed experts with personal experience and know-how as well as primary sources including tech companies, professional organizations and academic institutions. We verify all facts and data and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.

Sources:

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Jaime Stathis
Jaime writes about technology, cybersecurity, careers, retirement, travel and everything related to being a human being on a constantly evolving planet. Jaime is insatiably curious and still trying to figure out if she prefers the mountains or the ocean—and realizes this might be a lifelong puzzle to solve.
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