The EPS Official Facebook page released a statement regarding skimmers being installed on point-of-sale devices at businesses in Enid.
A skimmer is an illegal device that fits on top of a point-of-sale device that steals your card information. A criminal can use your cardholder information to create fake cards, make unauthorized purchases or withdraw cash from cardholder accounts.
Before making a purchase, check the sale device for misaligned panels. The skimmer sits on top of the device so there might be strange angles that stick out. You can pull on the reader to see if it comes out of place easily. If the buttons are hard to push or to install your card into the reader, it likely is a skimmer. Skimming devices at a gas pump are attached to the internal wiring and aren’t visible to the consumer.
Here are a few ways to avoid being a victim of gas pump skimming:
- Choose a gas pump near the store
- These pumps are in clear view of the store and chances of them having a skimmer are lower
- Pay inside rather than outside at the pump
- This is to avoid the chance of skimming altogether
- Run your debit card as a credit card to avoid inputting your pin
- To ensure that your pin doesn’t get skimmed by the criminal
- Check the pump’s panel for tampering
- Most gas stations have security seals over the cabinet panel
Skimmers can also be installed on ATMs. Look for anything loose, crooked, or damaged. Pull on the edges of the keypad to make sure a skimmer isn’t placed on top.
Check your bank accounts to ensure that no unauthorized charges have been made to your account.
If you have an unauthorized charge on your account, contact the Enid Police Dept. at (580) 242-7000.
