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More gas pump skimmers found in Omaha-Council Bluffs, ID thieves now using Bluetooth tech

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January 7th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

In the past week, three more skimming devices were found on gas pumps in Omaha-Council Bluffs, gadgets identity thieves use to gather data from credit cards customers swipe at the pump. Back in October, skimmers were found on pumps in Davenport and Omaha. Ron Murtaugh, police chief in the Omaha suburb of Ralston, says these devices are more sophisticated, utilizing advanced technology to steal data. “Now, they’re Bluetooth-enabled,” Chief Murtaugh says. “Somebody can pull up within relatively close proximity and download it into either a cell phone or similar device.”

The chief recommends gas station owners everywhere have their equipment checked regularly as these crooks are wily, sometime installing redundant skimmers. “One of the business owners was proactive and contacted their maintenance folks who came out and located an additional skimming device in one of their pumps,” he says. The experts say it’s impossible for consumers to know if a skimming device is on the pump or even -inside- the pump. You may not know your card has been compromised until strange charges start to appear on your bill.

“The skimming device captures the information as it gets transmitted to inside the building to their credit card processing,” Murtaugh says. “They then take that data and generate new credit cards off the data that’s captured or they’ll take that data and purchase things online where you don’t have to have a physical card.” If you use a credit card, authorities recommend you closely review every line of your bill every month.

(Radio Iowa)