Photos Show Exactly How to Spot Sneaky Grocery Devices

POLICE officers warn customers about devices that steal PIN codes.

According to officers, fraud takes place at gas stations.

Texas authorities have revealed that a card scanner has been placed inside a card reader at a gas pump that can read the card’s magnetic stripe once it is inserted.

In addition to reading the stripe, there may also be a hidden camera that records numbers entered on the keyboard.

Odessa police said skimmers are very difficult to spot if you don’t look for them, KOSA reported.

Authorities said the best way to avoid card theft is to enter a store to pay or use your postcode rather than your card PIN at the dispenser.

Police said people buying fuel can also check that the security seal on the dispenser has not been tampered with before swiping their card.

The website advises that people who believe they have fallen victim to a skimmer are asked to contact their bank, monitor their accounts and report any unauthorized transactions.

Odessa police are also asking for help in gathering information about skimming devices.

Anyone wishing to report the skimmer’s location is asked to contact the Odessa Police Department at 432-335-3333 or Odessa Crime Stoppers at 432-3333-TIPS.

The gas station skimming attempt came after Secret Service agents seized 13 skimming devices following a search of 472 grocery stores.

“We are working with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and the Florida Department of Agriculture,” Jacksonville Field Office Assistant Special Agent in Charge Peter Andrews told local CW station WJXT.

“This is a two-part mission for us. The first part of the mission is to identify, locate and extract all skimmers found in ATMs, POS terminals or petrol pumps.

“If we can find any item, we will remove it and test it further.”

Officers believe brazen thieves are disproportionately targeting EBT funds, draining the blood of vulnerable seniors.

Special Agent Chad Balsamo listed several warning signs that could indicate criminals have connected a scanning device to card readers.

“I’m just checking to make sure there’s nothing loose on top, you know, any foreign stuff that shouldn’t be on the device,” he explained.

“Then we can also insert this skimming checkout device that Target supplies into their checkout terminals, and if there was one, you wouldn’t be able to insert it all the way in.”

Authorities say Florida has become a hotbed for fraudsters.

“Everywhere from Miami to Jacksonville, in the Jacksonville field office we’ve certainly had numerous investigations into skimming devices,” Andrews continued.

The U.S. Secret Service estimated that their removal prevented a potential loss of $1.3 million.

More than 3,500 payment terminals, petrol pumps and ATMs were checked, meaning thousands of business owners learned what to look out for.