Sheriff’s Dept. Warns of Credit Card Skimmers

As if feeling the pain at the gas pump weren’t bad enough, fraudsters are attempting to obtain customers’ credit card information in at least two towns in Putnam County.

The sheriff ’s department confirmed in a statement last week it was investigating cases where skimming devices have been used to obtain credit card information from gas pumps in Southeast and Philipstown. The exact gas stations were not revealed because the investigation was still ongoing.

The sheriff ’s department urged residents to be alert for skimming devices when using their credit card or debit card at a gas pump or ATM. Residents should look for signs of damage and pull and twist on the card reader itself as the actual readers are very tough and the skimmer will pull loose in most cases, the sheriff ’s department stated.

“One should always monitor their Credit/Debit cards for any suspicious activity and report unauthorized use to the authorities,” the sheriff ’s department stated.