CARRBORO, N.C. (WNCN) – Four credit card skimmers have been found in gas pumps at a Carrboro gas station – the third time skimmers have been found in pumps at the same station, Carrboro police said.RELATED: Credit card skimmers popping up at Triangle gas stations
But this time, police say there was a twist.
The devices weren’t emitting a wireless signal making them completely undetectable to investigators.
For the gas pump criminals, it was a case of – if at first your scheme is discovered, try, try again.
Unfortunately for them, their secret hidden in a pump was once again uncovered.
For people filling up, credit card skimming may not be the first thing on their mind.
Driver James Cromartie was filling up at a Carrboro gas station and said he was unaware credit card skimmers exist.
“I didn’t know anything about that,” he said.
Driver Fiorella Horna said she although she looks at gas pumps and checks out the card reader devices. But she isn’t particularly concerned about credit card skimmers saying, “I personally don’t worry about.”
Finding these devices in gas pumps has become a priority for Carrboro police ever since some were discovered at the Circle K station on Highway 54 last month.
“A lot of our officers became vigilant at checking in at the gas stations with the skimmers a present,” said Cpt. Chris Atack.
Two weeks ago, they found another skimmer at a Circle K.
This weekend, an investigator found many more.
“He actually found four skimmers out of a total of 12 pumps were in this one gas station,” said Atack.
Unlike the last time, a skimmer was found these couldn’t be detected by wireless signal.
“We’re a small town, if it’s happening here it’s probably happening everywhere,” said Atack.
To protect yourself, Carrboro police warn customers to not pay at the pump at this station.
“We recommend people pay inside,” said the Captain. “It’s highly inconvenient especially on hot days but to circumvent this issue of capturing your credit card info, we recommend going to the store.”
If your credit card got compromised at a gas pump and a copy of it is being used elsewhere, investigators recommend you make a phone call to police in the jurisdiction where it happened report that crime.
Email CBS North Carolina’s Steve Sbraccia if you have a consumer issue.
Click for more info on skimmers from Carrboro police.
