By El Latino Newsroom
redaccion@latinocc.com
The Santa Barbara County Agricultural Commissioner’s Office/Department of Weights and Measures is warning consumers about the dangers of credit card “skimmers” after discovering one at a gas station in northern Santa Barbara County.
These devices are used to steal card information, including PINs and ZIP codes, putting consumers at financial risk.
The skimming device was found on Jan. 13, at a gas pump in Guadalupe.
Following the discovery, the department’s Consumer Protection Division conducted a countywide sweep of gas stations to check for additional devices. No other skimmers were found during the inspections.
Skimmers can be installed internally or externally and vary in design, but their purpose remains the same: to illegally capture credit or debit card information.
Most skimming devices are placed inside fuel dispensers, where they intercept data as transactions are processed. However, external skimmers, like the one found in Guadalupe, are affixed over existing card readers, appearing as legitimate components while secretly storing customer data. Fraudsters later retrieve these devices to download stolen information.
Skimmers are often installed on gas pumps farthest from a station’s attendant kiosk and security cameras.
Criminals typically target card swipe readers and PIN pads. To reduce the risk of fraud, consumers are encouraged to use “tap-to-pay” technology when available. If tap-to-pay is not an option, paying inside the station is a safer alternative.
The Consumer Protection Division is ramping up its inspections of gas stations across the county while also educating station managers on preventative measures. Inspectors use seized skimming devices during outreach efforts to demonstrate how the fraud occurs. Station managers are encouraged to apply security tape on fuel dispensers and routinely check for tampering.
Anyone who suspects skimming devices at a gas station or notices faulty fuel dispenser equipment is urged to contact the Santa Barbara County Agricultural Commissioner’s Office/Department of Weights & Measures at (805) 681-5600.
