Criminals use a variety of devices to capture and collect the credit card and debit card data of unsuspecting gas station customers. Stolen data is often sold or used to buy things online. Until customers receive their account statement or overdraft notice, they will not know their information has been compromised. In a survey by Lending Tree, 15% of Americans report having been a victim of skimming at the pump.
There are more victims here than just customers. Losing sales and a damaged reputation can be costly for your business.
What are Card Skimmers?
Thieves install card skimmers at payment terminals. These devices read the card's magnetic stripe when someone swipes it to make a payment. They then transmit the collected data to an attacker's computer. Fraudsters then use this stolen data to make unauthorized purchases or create counterfeit cards.
5 Ways to Protect Fuel Stations
How can you prevent fuel pumps from being skimmed? Here are five steps to make your gas station more secure to protect consumers and mitigate credit card theft.
- Secure your pumps with security seals and track them. These labels are attached to the pump housing to prevent entry to the station's internals. A tampered label will display "void" if it has been removed.
- Check for warped or protruding surfaces. Having card readers and PIN pads that are not flush with the pump's door panel is a warning sign.
- Make a note of the serial numbers on the seals. Because criminals can counterfeit security stickers, it's vital to verify the serial numbers on your station's seals to ensure they have not been replaced.
- Be wary of people who claim to be technicians but are performing unscheduled work. Confirm upcoming appointments and check IDs. Additionally, check vehicles that have been parked at fuel stations for a long time.
- Provide employees with training on pump inspections. Allot time for employees to make these inspections a part of their daily routines.
Skimmers, Shimmers, and Other Intrusive Devices
Credit card skimmers have been around longer than shimmers and are more common. As previously stated, as you swipe your card through the card reader, these devices gather information from your card's magnetic strip. With this information, hackers can effectively clone the card they scan.
Unlike skimmers, shimmers fit into the chip reader of a credit card terminal, resting between the terminal and the card. These devices are as thin as paper and card-sized, making it possible for hackers to install them in the card slot. In contrast to skimmers, they capture both chip and magnetic stripe information. Through a wireless radio module built into the device, shimmers transmit chip data collected from cards to these cyber criminals.
Comprehensive Security
Gas station security goes beyond adding a tamper evident label. To have truly robust security, gas station operators need to take several measures to ensure that their systems remain uncompromised.
First, it’s important to mitigate access to security labels. If a criminal has access to valid labels, then they are able to apply these labels after inserting their skimming devices. Securing labels involves controlling access to these labels upon delivery as well. Remember to document label serial numbers to help indicate if tampering.
Second, it’s crucial that keys are stored in a safe and secure location. If a hacker could gain access to a physical key, this could become a serious security risk as well.
Third, ensure that panels remain locked and the locks are robust and uncompromised. Because it’s possible to physically bypass these locks, it’s important to ensure locks are in good condition.
Controlling access to secure areas and monitoring deliveries is crucial to keeping your gas station protected.
Make the Choice to Protect Your Customers
NovaVision offers a wide variety of high quality, tamper-evident security products. We can provide you with a custom solution that meets your needs. Visit novavisioninc.com or call (800) 336-6636 to learn more about our products and speak to one of our security experts.
