Officials say since launching a crackdown two years ago, inspectors have found three dozen credit card skimmers hidden in gas pumps around Minnesota. Commerce Department spokesman Ross Corson says, “A lot of these credit card skimmers are being installed by roving crews of thieves, many of them coming from outside of the state.” Corson says because of that, in addition to regular inspections they do periodic “skimmer sweeps” at vulnerable stations, such as those close to freeway ramps.
Corson says they’re also working with gas station owners on procedures to prevent and better detect skimmers installed in gas pumps. Among the tighter procedures: “Having customized keys for their pumps so that you can’t just use a generic key to open up the pump; putting on what’s called tamper tape, security tape.” Corson says they’re also training gas station staff to do daily pump inspections.
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