Id Theft at the Gas Pump

October 17, 2008 – 2:10 pm

For years thieves have been using skimmers to record the information off the magnetic strips of debit cards and credit cards. These devices fit into or over the machines scanner so that the user doesn’t know the difference. Depending on how good the scanner is the id thief could even record your pin number off your debit card. This scam has been a common place at ATMs for years.

    According to a report from Texas police, id thieves have started using this tactic at gas pumps. In Plano, TX they have already taken into consideration 50 cases of ID theft that may be linked to gas pump scams. The best way to prevent something like this from happening to you is to make sure that the card reader doesn’t look unusual. If you stick your pinkie finger in the scanner and wiggle it, and you can see the scanner moving, you probably should use the machine. This also applies to ATM machines as well.

    Id thieves are always going to find new and inventive ways of stealing your identity. As soon as one method is discovered and fixed a new method will always arise. The best defense against ID theft is to be educated on the subject and have a backup plan if someone were to get your personal information. LifeLock for years has been offering identity theft protection. LifeLock is the #1 Identity theft protector and if you would like a discount on a LifeLock membership use LifeLock Promotion code, Defense.

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