Thieves have been stealing credit card info at gas pumps. Now there’s an app to foil them.
Thieves have been stealing credit card info at gas pumps. Now there’s an app to foil them.
Last year, law enforcement officials found more than a thousand gas pumps nationwide that had been fitted with “skimmers” — electronic devices that record credit card numbers and, in some cases, transmit them wirelessly over Bluetooth to a criminal’s computer.
This could have serious financial consequences for gas stations starting next year, when a law will require them to either spend thousands of dollars to install pumps that read the more-secure chips in credit cards or be liable for fraudulent charges. A new smartphone application could help law enforcement find skimmers before they cause too much damage.
There’s a lot happening in the world. Through it all, Marketplace is here for you.
You rely on Marketplace to break down the world’s events and tell you how it affects you in a fact-based, approachable way. We rely on your financial support to keep making that possible.
Your donation today powers the independent journalism that you rely on. For just $5/month, you can help sustain Marketplace so we can keep reporting on the things that matter to you.
