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Oct 16, 2008 6:24 pm US/Central
Plano Thieves Steal Debit PINs From Gas Pumps
PLANO (CBS 11 / TXA 21) ―
Drivers in Plano beware. Police say crooks are targeting area gas pumps and are using them to get your debit and credit card information.
Plano police say at least 50 people have had their account information stolen.
It used to be that crimes at service stations mostly involved stealing gas. Now thieves are looking to get your personal information.
These days it's hard to find someone who doesn't pay at the pump. North Texas gas pumps get a lot of mileage with most people saying it's convenient. Unfortunately the card scanners have also become a convenient way for crooks to steal.
"There have been at least two, possibly three or more, stations where the [credit] cards have been compromised," said Det. Jerry Minton with the Plano Police Department.
Plano police say crooks have managed to re-wire the card mechanism at pumps. They believe the suspects are using the device to skim unsuspecting people's debit card numbers and four-digit personal identification numbers.
"At this point we don't know exactly who we're looking for," Minton said.
Victims have had cash drained from their bank accounts at ATMs along Preston Road and even as far away as the west coast.
Since the cards are being used across the country the Plano Police Department has asked for help from the Secret Service.
As for drivers paying at the pump, many say they find the thefts worrisome. "I have not heard that before so that kind of scares me," said Sean Kanukola.
It's a crime that has many drivers proceeding with caution – realizing that as they fill their tank crooks could be leaving their bank accounts empty. "It's better off to use a credit card and not my debit card if there's a risk factor involved," Kanukola said.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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