Wood County Auditor Matthew Oestreich is reminding consumers to be wary of the presence of credit card skimmers on gas pumps. “Skimmers” are installed by criminals to steal credit card data. Oestreich encourages daily inspections for credit card skimmers by filling station employees.
“It has been a year since the first credit card skimmer was discovered in Wood County. Our weights & measures division inspects the gas pumps at 70 stations across Wood County, among many other duties,” he said. “To combat identity-theft criminals, it is important that gas station owners continue to supplement our inspections with daily inspections of their own.”
Anyone suspecting the presence of a skimmer, or witnessing the tampering of a gas pump or credit card reader, should contact local law enforcement. Consumers should know that paying for gas with cash is always the safest option at the pump. Using a credit card is safer than using a debit card, because customers using a debit card risk their PIN numbers being stolen. Motorists should use pumps near the attendant, as criminals often target pumps further from view.
The Wood County Auditor’s Office can be reached at 419-354-9150.
