Record Number of Gas Pump Skimmers Found in Kentucky

Are you as diligent at the gas pump as I am? The moment I heard about gas pump skimmers and what they do, I check every single one I use.

They're placed on pumps by lowlifes aiming to steal your info and ultimately your identity.

And now, it's starting to happen far more often.

A WAVE3/Louisville report details findings by the Kentucky Department of Agriculture that indicate a record number of gas pump skimmers have been found in 2019.

WAVE3 spoke with a Department of Agriculture representative who said that, according to estimates made by the National Association of Convenience Stores, just one compromised gas pump card reader can result in between 30 and 100 stolen credit card identities.

Some seriously scary stuff.

Seventeen skimmers have been found in central Kentucky in 2019--a huge jump from 2018.

And in a one-week period alone, 10 were discovered.

The Department of Agriculture suggests that when we get gas, we should try to do it as close to the store as possible, since those who place the skimmers on the pumps will probably do it on a pump that isn't very visible from where the attendant would be.

Also, look for scratches or dents on or around the device, components that look different from the other pumps at the same station, a loose card reader, or security tape that appears to be broken or doesn't stick to the pump.

These incidents seem to be ramping up and we apparently need to be more careful than ever before.