Credit card skimming device found in Port Hueneme gas station
PORT HUENEME, Calif. - Port Hueneme Police Patrol Officers responded to a USA Gas Thursday afternoon after receiving a report of a found skimming device.
Officers arrived on the 2600 block of Ventura Road around 1:20 p.m. There, they contacted the business manager and service station contractor who located the device attached to a VeriFone keypad.
After multiple reports of credit card skimmer fraud occurring recently within Ventura County, the Port Hueneme Police Department is reminding the public to take precautions when paying at a gas pump.
Officers said most skimming devices found operate on Bluetooth devices or use WiFi to access your personal account information.
The police department advises the public to follow these tips for detecting a skimming device at the pump:
- Make sure the panel on the pump has not been tampered with.
- If there's a seal on the panel, make sure it's intact. The seal will say "void" if it has been altered. Also, check the exterior keypad panel for any glue or epoxy type material.
- If a panel appears altered, immediately report information to the station manager and to police.
- Choose the credit option rather than debit to avoid entering a PIN number. If credit isn't an option, conceal your PIN numbers as you enter them. Scammers often use cameras to record the numbers.
- Regularly monitor your credit card and bank accounts to detect any suspicious activity and/or transactions.
If you do witness suspicious persons or activity in regards to gas station keypads, you can contact the Port Hueneme Police Department's Investigations Division at (805) 986-6530.
