Hitting Holiday Sales? Use Tap to Pay When Possible to Avoid Credit Card Skimmers

AUSTIN – When you head out to hit the holiday sales with your credit card, make it harder for criminals to steal your hard-earned money — remember to tap to pay or use a trusted payment app on a mobile phone when possible, instead of swiping or inserting your card into the payment pad.

The Texas Financial Crimes Intelligence Center (FCIC) and the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) have additional advice for avoiding credit card skimmers at the gas pump and at other payment devices, and they’ve gathered it into a PSA on the TDLR YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/M1bhDP722LU.

Most skimmers have been placed deep inside the gas pump cabinet and it won’t be obvious that something’s wrong, but there are still some things consumers can check for before using a credit card at a gas station:

• Look at the gas pump and cabinet – do they look damaged, or look like they’ve been tampered with?

At gas stations and other stores:

• Wiggle the card slot – is it loose?
• Look at the keypad – is it loose or does it look like something has been placed on top of it?

Additional ways consumers can protect themselves:

• Always use a credit card, not a debit card, if you’re not going to pay cash – this protects the PIN and prevents access to a bank account
• Set card usage or transaction alerts for bank and credit card accounts. Most major banks offer apps that allow real-time monitoring of accounts.
• Regularly monitor credit card and bank statements for fraudulent charges or suspicious transactions

The FCIC, which coordinates law enforcement investigations into organized financial fraud, was the first statewide unit of its kind in the United States and operates as a partnership between TDLR and the Smith County District Attorney’s Office. TDLR regulates motor fuel metering and quality and collects consumer complaints and merchant reports related to credit card skimmers. The Smith County DA aggressively investigates and prosecutes criminals engaging in organized financial crimes such as fraud related to gasoline pump skimmers.