Oxford (Alabama) Police have a new and unusual crime fighting tool that will fight credit card fraud. Police say the new, specially equipped laptop-type devices will detect credit card skimmers at area gas stations.
Thieves use skimmers to steal debit and credit card information and compromise bank and credit card accounts. Police officers who check out the laptops will be able to drive through pump islands, where the devices will detect skimmers, and send an audible alert to warn them of the skimmers’ presence. Police can then check the pump and the card reader for the skimmer, often inserted and fastened into place with something as low-tech as double sided tape.
The head of the department’s cyber crimes division says so far Oxford hasn’t had the problem, but other cities along I-20 have reported multiple victims. “Not in Oxford, but along the interstate corridor, yeah, it’s a pretty big problem with skimming identities. And a lot of people can relate because they’ve had their identities stolen before,” Sergeant Bobby Yancey says. Since they went into service Thursday, none of Oxford’s gas stations have been found to have skimmers… WBRC6 News
