BOSTON – The Massachusetts Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation is conducting random inspections of fuel pumps to combat thieves using skimmers to steal credit and debit card information from consumers.

In addition to the inspections, a letter was sent in December to more than 50 gas dispenser servicing companies seeking their cooperation in reporting to local law enforcement and the office’s Division of Standards any skimming devices they discover. Roughly 2,600 service station owners and operators in the state have been reminded recently to regularly check fuel pumps for evidence of tampering and skimming devices.

The letter to gas dispenser servicing companies and service station owners calls on them to follow specific procedures if a skimming device is discovered.

• Take a photograph of the device, but don’t touch it as forensic evidence may be recoverable by law enforcement.
• Immediately contact local law enforcement and either the local weights and measures officials or the Division of Standards.
• Tell the station owner/operator to take the gas dispenser out of service until the police have removed the device.

The New England area has recently seen a rash of skimming devices found at pumps. Police in Hingham, Massachusetts, were alerted to a skimming device found on a pump at a Gulf station. A technician who had been called to repair the card reader discovered the skimming device.

Conexxus and NACS provide convenience and fuel retailers with resources and tools to proactively initiate and maintain effective payment security procedures that help reduce the occurrence of skimming. In December, Conexxus and NACS hosted a free webinar that highlighted the processes and tools available to protect dispenser terminals from intrusion and skimmers. The webinar was conducted by representatives from Gilbarco Veeder-Root and Wayne Fueling Systems.