Driver shows simple hack for making sure his credit card is never skimmed at the gas pump

A TikTok user showed viewers his secret to never skimming his credit card at the gas pump in a now-viral video. video.

Joseph, who travels with FLM FLIGHT on TikTok, prepared to fill his tank at a gas station while filming the video earlier this month.

“POV: You check the card reader to make sure you’re not getting scammed,” he wrote in the video, closing with a laughing emoji across the floor.

The five-second video showed Joseph pulling on both sides of the card slot attached to the gas pump.

This method is one of several things customers can do to ensure they aren’t fooled by a gas pump.

A credit card skimmer is a device that can be connected to any card reader.

Criminals use skimmers to obtain card numbers and expiration dates by swiping the device across a reader.

Most people 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 terminals (POS) and parking meters.

Debit card skimming increased by 368 percent between 2021 and 2022, with more than 161,000 cards affected during that period, according to FICO.

According to ExperianGas stations are a popular hotspot for card skimmers because the pumps are usually located away from employees and a skimming device can go unnoticed for days or weeks.

If this happens, criminals who installed the skimmers can download all card information and make copies of it to make fraudulent purchases or withdrawals.

There are several tricks a person can do to protect themselves from that problem and Joseph successfully showed an example of this in his June 7 TikTok video.

A credit card skimmer is a device that can be connected to any card reader. A skimming device has been spotted at gas stations, but Joseph was not a victim

The card slot that Joseph pulled on the gas pump was solid and sturdy.

This probably satisfied Joseph ever since Marine Credit Union said a card reader who “feels lost or moves too much” could be a sign of a skimmer.

Anyone not willing to risk their debit card can use a credit card or pay at the gas station.

In these cases, it is better to use a credit card because a debit card is linked directly to a bank and can give criminals a greater opportunity to drain accounts.

Once the beneficiary pulls the cardholder and indicates a card preference, they can choose to cover the keyboard when entering the PIN so that cameras do not 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 by checkout or inside instead of at the pump.

Cash doesn’t put anyone’s personal information at risk and if you pay by card in store, staff can monitor the card readers.

In case anything suspicious happens, one can keep an eye on the card history to see if any unusual transactions have been made.

If a cardholder does become a victim of skimming, he/she should report the problem to their bank, credit union or credit card company and have employees close the account immediately.

The card slot on the gas pump Joseph used was not loose, meaning there was likely a skimming device in the machine

Other TikTok users revealed in their comments that they also do the tow trick to ensure they don’t get duped by criminals at a gas pump.

“I do this every time… I found two skimmers.” wrote one TikToker.

One person also wrote: ‘I do this every time I go to the gas station and I use the same pump at the same gas station if possible in my local community.’

TikTokers’ advice to avoid getting caught up in a skimming incident includes using credit cards, virtual payments and just ‘tap and go’.