CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The state Division of Labor is asking West Virginia businesses to check their credit card readers after several card skimmers were identified across the state.
“We need the businesses’ help. We need them to be proactive and do inspections daily if possible,” said Victor Zamora, director of the Weights and Measures program within the state Division of Labor.
The division identified multiple gas stations in the state with credit card skimmers. Since Dec. 2016, 10 skimmers have been uncovered at stations in Charleston, Marmet, Morgantown, Parkersburg and Nitro.
Thieves are able to steal credit card information by installing Bluetooth-type devices into the pumps, Zamora said.
“The install basically a Bluetooth device into the wiring where the customer inserts their credit card and swipes it. It’s able to skim that information,” he explained.
Inspectors with the Division of Labor have been doing routine checks the last few months to help fix the problem. Workers are looking for devices where the credit card access is located.
Division of Labor Deputy Commissioner Mitchell Woodrum previously said, “We encourage the public to report any card readers that look like they’ve been tampered with and to review their credit card accounts for suspicious activity.”
If your credit card information is stolen, Zamora says to contact your bank.
The Division of Labor recommends the following:
- Pay inside the gas station with cash or credit card instead of at the pump.
- Use pumps nearest to the building where cashiers are more likely to notice suspicious activity.
- If the card reader looks or feels “off” in some way, don’t use it. Report it.