Three Credit Card Skimmers Found At Edmond Gas Station

From the outside, it’s hard to tell a gas pump has been tampered with, but a little device installed inside the pump can take down credit card information with one swipe.

“The case that we had [Wednesday], we had two victims that contacted the police department,” said Jenny Wagnon, Edmond Police Department’s Public Information Officer. She said there may be many unreported.

Both of those victims went to the Circle K on 15^th Street and I-35 in Edmond. On Tuesday, April 12, police went to the gas station and discovered three credit card skimmers inside three separate pumps.

“They’re opening up the pump door and attaching these devices to the card reader that is inside the pump,” said Wagnon.  

Not only did detectives remove the skimmers, but on Wednesday, a team from Petroleum Marketers Equipment also replaced the entire gas pump. The Circle K upgraded from Encore 300 dispensers to Encore 700 dispensers.

According to fuel technician Bill Wilson, these new pumps are much more secure. He said, “If it gets tampered with, it shuts down. As technicians, we have to come out and reactive them.”

While it’s safer for now, criminals are constantly adapting to new technology. Wagnon is warning consumers to know the security of your gas station. “If you have somewhere you go and get gas regularly, go inside and ask them what are their security measures.”

Here are some tips:

• The safest way to pay is to go inside the store and pay in cash.
• If you have to pay with a card, credit is safer than debit.
• Ask the gas station about their security policy.
• Look at the pump. Some gas stations have a double key mechanism where both keys need to be turned at the same time in order to open it. Others have a piece of tape over the seam of the pump door so you can see if it has been opened.