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Imagine this: You are pull in to a gas station, turn off your engine, open your gas cap, and turn to the pump’s pay pad with your card in hand. Everything looks in order. You insert your card and notice the reader wobbles just a bit. You think, Must be getting old. By the time you get home, your card is maxed out.

In this scenario, you were tricked by a “skimmer” machine. These cunning little devices read your card as you slide it into a gas pump or even an ATM. Then they pass along your card data to whoever installed them. They can be so thin they are just a “sleeve” the thief slides over the regular reader, and difficult to see if you don’t know what to look for.

The use of skimmers is on the rise. In fact, this con went up by 368% between 2021 and 2022. Yikes!

So how do you protect your money? First and foremost, they are often installed over the pump’s regular card reader, but can often be pulled off if you wiggle them. So it’s not a bad idea to grab the card reader and make certain it’s firmly attached to the pump.

My colleague Barnell Anderson shared ways to avoid having your information stolen at the gas pump, and points out that opting for tap-to-pay instead of inserting your card (where available) can foil a skimmer.

Some gas station owners are going a step further to protect you from thieves who install devices inside the pump to collect your data. You see, every gas pump has a service door so technicians can access the payment computer and other electronics. Many station owners now install tape on top of that door that will read “void” when you break it to open the panel. The location of this panel can vary, but is often just above the credit card reader.

See how to spot a skimmer on a gas pump yourself in the video below:

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Staff Writer

Henry Cesari

Henry Cesari joined MotorBiscuit in 2021 and brings his deep interest in vintage cars, trucks, and motorcycles to the site. Having restored his first classic car at just 16 years old, Henry has wrenched on everything from overland campers to Japanese motorcycles and even pre-war Bugattis. Henry is also an avid attendee at local car shows and genuinely enjoys connecting with fellow auto enthusiasts.

Henry earned a Bachelor’s in Anthropology and English from the University of Vermont. He has since incorporated his love of the written word with his admiration of classic cars. While Henry is interested in vintage cars, he believes the golden age of cars is yet to come. He is confident journalists will play an important role in this revolution by exposing the industry as it is now and envisioning its possible future.