More credit card skimmer devices found at local gas stations

JACKSON, Tenn. — Swiping your credit card at a gas pump is a convenience many drivers take advantage of but few think twice about.

“The hustle and bustle, being in the flow of things, and naturally always trying to get to my next stop — personally, I’ve never actually thought about it,” Exxon customer J.P. Ragan said.

But the Jackson Police Department says these transactions may be the source of a recent scam, having found six credit card skimmer devices at two local gas stations in the past month.

Employees at Hollywood Express Exxon say workers noticed the skimmers when they were fixing a pump. They now check for the devices every morning.

“They hide them. They plug this in place of this and will hide this little device back in here with the other wires,” said Lt. Jeff Shepard of the Jackson Police Department.

Exxon employee Tommy Sorrell says these scams have been taking place at gas stations with newer pumps.

“Ours is harder to deal with because ours has to be screwed in and then locked in,” Sorrell said. “On our newer ones, you just unlock them, and there you go.”

Lt. Shepard recommends drivers who are uncomfortable paying at the pump to pay inside or use cash. He also recommends using a credit card rather than a debit card, making it easier to dispute fraudulent charges and prevent your PIN number from falling into the wrong hands.

“They may be able to make a charge as a credit card,” Lt. Shepard said, “but they won’t be able to clean your bank account out.”

“I just hope someday they come to an end with it, find out what’s going on and can stop this stuff, because it hurts everyone in the long run,” Sorrell said.

Lt. Shepard also recommends gas station employees make sure their security cameras are in working condition to help them identify those responsible.