Man arrested with credit card skimmer and master keys to gas pumps
FRANKLIN, Ind. (WISH) – On Monday, police arrested a man from New Mexico in Greene County. They say 20-year-old Jacob Andrew Smith had a credit card skimming device and four master keys to gas pumps.
According to court documents, he was headed to Evansville to put the device in a pump. He would not have to go back to the station to retrieve the device. Via bluetooth, Smith’s phone would allegedly capture all the credit card data. He now faces one felony count of possession of a card skimming device, among other charges.
Both Bloomington and Franklin Police are now looking into whether there is a connection to their recent cases.
Many of the crooks, authorities say, are gaining access to the pumps with a master key. Samir Patel runs several stations including the Shell in Franklin, on US 31.
“This key is easy to get,” he said. “This key is basically universal. I can use this key anywhere else. This key, I know for sure, if I take it to my Marathon station they are the same key.”
Once the fraudsters gain access to the pumps, they place the skimming device inside. They are not visible from the outside. Franklin Police have two from recent investigations sealed in evidence.
“It bypasses the processes that the gas pumps already have, is able to capture the information off of people’s credit cards,” explained Lt. Pete Ketchum of the Franklin Police Department.
After the information is captured, police believe scammers then clone the cards.
“Those cards are usually used outside of our jurisdiction and most often, outside the state,” said Lt. Ketchum.
Patel is now requiring that his employees regularly check pumps.
“All of our employees know what to look for in terms of all the wires and stuff,” he said.
The station just received sticker seals. After an inpsection, one will be placed over the pump’s door.
“When you see that it’s broken, then you are to tell the employee inside. Say, ‘Hey, the seal is broken. Please check the pump before I use it,’” he said.
But even seals aren’t a guaranteed security measure. Patel tested one, but it did not break. Scammers could’ve easily removed it, then stuck it back on the pump. Authorities have additional advice.
“People just need to check their statements more often and trust that the employees at the gas stations check those machines often,” said Lt. Ketchum.
Patel says they just purchased new pumps at his Shell station. Those pumps, he says, have an extra layer of security. If somebody gains access, they cannot connect a device to their system, according to Patel.