FICO found a 759% increase in credit compromise events from 2021 to 2022. Moreover, that represents a 501% growth in compromised cards detected overall. This surge indicates criminals are increasingly skimming bank cards and PIN information.

Gas pump skimming occurs when criminals illegally install devices on gas station Point of Sale (POS) terminals and use them to record customer bank card information. These criminals then use this information to steal billions of dollars from U.S. citizens. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, skimming costs businesses and consumers more than a billion dollars each year.

Even while skimmers are well known, few people are aware of the techniques that fraudsters use to attack gas pumps and gas station POS systems. Fuel pump skimmers may be hidden from customers by being attached to the machine's internal wiring. However, gas station owners have a number of options for safeguarding their patrons, and one of those options is the use of tamper evident labels.

Tamper Evident Labels

Tamper evident labels are necessary to provide added security and authentication to gas stations and fuel pumps. Tamper evident labels are stickers with built-in mechanisms that produce a visible effect when removed from an applied surface. Mechanically locked fuel pumps can be easily overcome, but tamper evident labels provide additional security and integrity validation. Tamper evident labels are relatively inexpensive but can add profound security for their price.

There are two goals with tamper evident labels. First, for the consumer to recognize if a product has been tampered with. Second, for the operator to be able to authenticate their security.

Effectively Using Tamper Evident Labels

Gasoline dispensers and credit card readers that utilize non-residue security labels have proven effective in combating tampering. "VOID OPEN" appears on the security label when it is removed. These one-time-use labels can be applied in multiple areas to create layers of security, including:

• Access hatches and doors to indicate if credit card skimming equipment has been inserted
• The dispenser credit card reader to provide visual verification that a skimmer device is not present
• The interior of POS terminals to provide evidence that a card skimmer has not been installed

Maintain Payment Card Industry (PCI) Compliance

Credit card processing is supervised by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to ensure the safety of consumers. This supervision has led to the Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council. By court precedent, PCI compliance is regarded as mandatory, even though there is no regulatory mandate. Security protocols used by credit card companies include PCI compliance. As part of credit card network agreements, credit card companies generally mandate this practice.

According to the PCI guidelines, various steps should be taken that are considered best security practices.

• Inhibit access to cardholder information
• Inhibit physical entry to data storage
• Create a documented policy
• Protect cardholder information
• Create and oversee access logs
• Test security systems regularly

Nothing is Tamper Proof

There is no such thing as “tamper proof.” All security measures can be bypassed with the correct training, equipment, and time. Even tamper evident labels can be bypassed. Scammers can use sophisticated tools to circumvent the security of tamper evident labels. Fraudsters can even gain access to similar labels to trick consumers into believing that a gas station pump has not been compromised. However, even though criminals can make convincing counterfeit labels, gas station operators can take steps to prevent card skimming fraud. For more information, click here to view our article, 5 Ways to Keep Gas Stations More Secure.

Prevent Card Skimming and Protect Your Fuel Pumps

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.