Inspection finds 9 skimming devices at gas pumps in Minnesota
A recent statewide inspection sweep of gas pumps uncovered 9 hidden credit card skimmers, announced Minnesota Commerce Commissioner Mike Rothman.
The skimmers were found at stations in both the Twin Cities metro area and Greater Minnesota. Rothman said the Commerce Fraud Bureau is now pursuing criminal investigations in cooperation with other law enforcement agencies.
“The Commerce Department is cracking down on these skimmers to protect Minnesota consumers against identity theft and fraud,” said Rothman. “We are working to make sure the state’s gas pumps are secure and customers’ credit and debit card information is safe. We know the threat is real, so we will stay vigilant and continue checking for these devices in our ongoing inspections of gas pumps.”
In March, the Commerce Department launched Minnesota’s first-ever inspection sweep of gas stations to protect consumers against skimmers, which are small electronic devices that can be attached to or hidden inside gas pumps to secretly record customers’ credit and debit card information.
During a three-week period, Commerce inspectors and investigators checked nearly 8,500 credit card readers on gas pumps at over 1,000 stations across the state. The inspections prioritized stations with older pumps, which are considered more vulnerable, as well as stations located on heavily-traveled streets and highways.
Credit card skimmers at gas pumps have been a growing problem in other parts of the country. Earlier this year, alert employees at a suburban Twin Cities gas station caught three men who were trying to install a skimmer in a pump.
