Our news gathering partner KDLT-TV reports that a credit card skimmer was found at a Sioux Falls gas station. An employee found the skimmer on a pump at a gas station in northeast Sioux Falls on Cliff Avenue.

Sioux Falls Police Officer Sam Clemens told KDLT that the employee discovered the skimmer while checking the security seals on the pumps. They found a broken seal and that led to the discovery of the skimmer.

Authorities say to double check that the security tape is secure on pumps that you use, and keep an eye on your bank statements for odd charges.

Gas Pump 2
(Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
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Card skimmers are devices that copy the information from a card that is inserted into payment terminals. Along with gas pumps, ATMs are a common target of thieves.

Skimmers are are essentially malicious card readers that grab the data off the card's magnetic stripe attached to the real payment terminals so that they can harvest data from every person that swipes their cards. The thief has to come back to the compromised machine to pick up the file containing all the stolen data, but with that information in hand he can create cloned cards or just break into bank accounts to steal money.

An ATM
(Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images)
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Security researcher Stefan Tanase told PC Magazine that a good way to protect yourself is to look for signs of tampering before using an ATM or other payment device. Compare the card reader to others nearby, the other pumps for example. Look for any obvious tampering and gently push, pull and wiggle the reader.

Pull at protruding parts like the card reader. See if the keyboard is securely attached and just one piece. Does anything move when you push at it?

If you do notice odd charges on your statements, report it as soon as you see it. Whether to your credit card issuer or your bank.

Source: KDLT-TV, PC Magazine


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