Credit card skimmers found at northeast Kansas gas stations
JEFFERSON COUNTY (KSNT) – A northeast Kansas sheriff is investigating after card skimmers were found at two local gas stations recently.
27 News reached out to Jefferson County Sheriff Jeff Herrig for more information after some locals reported card skimmers being found in the county on social media. The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office is currently investigating these discoveries and is warning residents to remain vigilant to avoid falling prey to one of these scams.
Herrig said the skimmers were found in the towns of McLouth and Ozawkie at local gas stations. The first skimmer discovery was in McLouth last week while another was found in Ozawkie on June 6. So far, no other reports have been made of more skimmers being found at any other gas stations or local businesses.
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“Always keep a vigilant eye on your credit card activity to make sure someone else isn’t using it,” Herrig said in a written statement. “Some companies use a break away tape on the face of the pumps to readily see if the pump has been tampered with, if not it is hard to detect from the outside of the pumps.”
The Kansas Department of Agriculture (KDA) describes credit card skimmers as electronic devices which capture credit or debit card information from card readers whenever a card is swiped. The KDA recommends businesses put programs in place to deter criminals from installing the skimmers, focus on detecting skimmers if they have been installed and train employees on how to respond if suspicious devices are found.
Employees should check for skimmers daily as it only takes around 10 seconds for someone to install one. Some skimmers may appear home-made and be easy to spot while others are much more sophisticated and are meant to blend in with their surroundings. Skimmers can be installed on the exterior and interior of card reader devices.
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“Suspect anything that is unusual or does not match the other dispensers. When in doubt, shut down the dispenser and consult your service company or contact the Kansas Department of Agriculture Division of Weights & Measures.”
Kansas Department of Agriculture statement on credit card skimmers
The KDA further recommends you take the following steps if you think you’ve found a card skimmer:
Avoid touching the device and the dispenser. This is evidence of criminal activity.
Turn off the dispenser immediately. Don’t let customers use it going forward.
Call law enforcement.
Leave the device in the dispenser until law enforcement can examine and take it away.
Save any surveillance video footage from before the device was found.
You can learn more about credit card skimmers, how to combat them and other dangers they pose by clicking here. If you think you’ve fallen victim to a scam, contact the Kansas Attorney General’s office by clicking here.
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