Credit Card Skimmer Found at Portage Gas Station

A state-wide scam has been uncovered. Here's where it hit close to home and how to protect yourself from credit card skimmers at the gas station in the future.

The pain at the pump is real. Gas prices are the highest they've been in seven years across the country and scammers want to take your money too. A long-running tactic has been installing fake credit card scanners at fuel pumps. These devices collect your credit card information and your cards can then be charged without your knowledge.

Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development weights and measures inspectors brought to light the discovery of credit card skimmers at eight gas stations across the state, from Metro Detroit to Lansing, Grand Rapids, Ann Arbor, and Kalamazoo. The Admiral station at 5342 S Westnedge in Portage made the list. If you've fueled up there recently, check your bank or credit card statement to see if there are fraudulent charges.

Credit card skimmers are designed to look like the legitimate payment equipment on the gas pump, so how can you protect yourself? Banking, investment, and insurance site Midwest Heritage have some tips:

Protect Yourself from Credit Card Fraud

Look for a skimmer

• Scammers replace standard credit card readers with their own devices which sometimes don't fit as well into the housing of the gas pump- give it a wiggle.

Check for the sticker

• Many gas stations have tamper-resistant stickers on the pump. Think of it as the plastic ring on a pop bottle. If it's not sealed, don't use it.

Protect your pin

• Tiny hidden cameras are used to capture your pin number to make using your credit card information easier.

Use cash

• When in doubt, use cash.

Gas stations used to be a whole lot simpler, take a look at this gallery of vintage gas stations. all across Michigan.

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