Payment card skimmer secretly planted in gas station pump

More than $11,000 vaporized

Criminals racked up more than $11,000 in fraudulent payment card charges using a skimming device planted in a Utah-based gas station pump, according to reports.

The device was concealed so well that employees and users of the gas pump didn't spot anything amiss. When customers paid for purchases using credit or debit cards, the skimmer used Bluetooth technology to zap sensitive card information to a near-by receiver, police told local reporters.

It was discovered in late January at a 7-Eleven in Sandy, Utah. Police said it may have been actively monitoring transactions for as long as 60 days. It resulted in losses of more than $11,000.

The reports are only the latest to chronicle the growing use of skimmers to scam holders of payment cards and the banks who issue them. In December, police reported that at least two dozen victims were compromised by skimmers places at an AM/PM gas station in Rocklin, California.

A recent item on KrebsonSecurity features a bevy of photos that show just how well the devices blend in with their surroundings, making it hard for even savvy consumers to detect them.

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