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3 months ago
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A TikTok user showed viewers his secret for never getting his credit card skimmed at the gas pump in a now-viral video.
Joseph, who goes by FLM FLIGHT on TikTok, was preparing to fill his tank at a gas station while he recorded the video earlier this month.
'POV: You're checking the card reader to make sure you don't get scammed,' he wrote in the video, concluding it with a rolling on the floor laughing emoji.
The five-second video showed Joseph tugging on both sides of the card slot that's attached to the gas pump.
This method is one of the various things customers can do in order to make sure that they won't be fooled by a gas pump.
Joseph, who goes by FLM FLIGHT on TikTok, was at a gas station while he recorded a video of him tugging on a car slot to make sure he would me skimmed
A credit card skimmer is a device that can be attached to any card reader.
Criminals use skimmers to obtain card numbers and expiration dates just by swiping it on a reader with the device.
Most individuals may not notice a skimming device due to its size and may even be at risk of identity theft.
In addition to gas pumps, cardholders can find skimming devices at ATMs, point-of-sale (POS) terminals, and parking meters.
The act of debit card skimming increased by 368 percent from 2021 to 2022 and more than 161,000 cards were affected during that time, according to FICO.
According to Experian, gas stations are a popular card-skimmer hotspot because the pumps are usually not close to employees, and a skimming device could go undetected for days or weeks.
If this happens, criminals who planted the skimmers can download all the card information and create copies of them to make fraudulent purchases or withdrawals.
There are multiple tricks that someone can do to protect themselves from that issue and Joseph successfully showed an example of one in his June 7 TikTok video.
A credit card skimmer is a device that can be attached to any card reader. A skimming device has been spotted at gas stations, but Joseph was not a victim
The card slot Joseph was tugging on at the gas pump was solid and firm.
This likely satisfied Joseph since Marine Credit Union said that a card reader that 'feels lose or moves too much' could be a sign of a skimmer.
Anyone who is not willing to risk their debit card can either use a credit card or pay inside the gas station.
A credit card is better to use in these cases since a debit card is directly connected to a bank, and it can give criminals a better chance of draining accounts.
Once the payee tugs on the cardholder and makes a card preference, they can choose to cover the keypad when entering the PIN number so that cameras won't record what the cardholder types.
Debit and credit cards are usually not the only payment methods at gas stations, and customers can choose to pay with a case or inside rather than at the pump.
Cash will not compromise anyone's personal information and paying with a card inside the store will help employees keep an eye on the card readers.
Just in case anything suspicious happens, one can keep an eye on their card history to see if any unusual transactions were made.
If a cardholder does become a skimming victim, they must report the issue to their bank, credit union, or credit card company and have employees close the account immediately.
The card slot on the gas pump that Joseph used was not loose, meaning there was likely mo skimming device inside the machine
Other TikTok users revealed in their comments that they also do the tugging trick to make sure they don't get duped by criminals at a gas pump.
'I do this every single time... I have found two skimmers.' a TikToker wrote.
One person also wrote: 'I do this everytime I go to the gas station and I use the same pump at the same gas station if possible in my local town.'
TikTokers' advice for not falling under the spell of a skimming incident include using credit cards, virtual pay, and to just 'tap and go.'
English (US)