An old scam has a new twist this holiday season and police want drivers to be on alert.

With so much travel over the Thanksgiving weekend, police are warning drivers to pay attention when filling their gas tanks.

Skimmers have previously been used on the outside of ATM machines, but now it seems the card-skimming devices are being found on gas pumps at convenience stores across the country.

Experts say the skimmers are nearly impossible to detect on a gas pump, since data thieves can open the pump and plug in the device without anyone knowing.

But don't just forgo filling up! Police say there are ways to protect yourself at the pump.

  1. Inspect the card reader before swiping your card. If it looks damaged or bulky, avoid that pump and let the cashier know what you've found.
  2. Use the pump closest to the cashier. It;s harder to get a skimmer on a pump that is in plain sight of the store.
  3. Avoid using your card at the pump altogether and go in the store to pay instead.
  4. Whenever possible, use a credit card instead of a debit card. There's more protection on a credit card rather than allowing the data thieves direct access to your bank account.

 

 

More From WFHN-FM/FUN 107