Police are warning customers that their account information may have been compromised after a credit card skimming device was found at a local gas station.
A skimming device was found Wednesday morning on pump 11 at the Circle K gas station at 250 N Loop 1604 East, the Hollywood Park Police Department said in a social media post.
Police asked customers to check their bank accounts for suspicious activity. Anyone who believes their account was targeted should contact their financial institution immediately to freeze their cards and request new ones.
“Please stay vigilant and use the safest payment methods available, like tap-to-pay or approved apps like ValeroPay+,” the department said.
Credit card skimming devices, which mimic real PIN pads and card terminals, are placed on top of point-of-sale machines at places like ATMs and gas stations. They scan and steal customers’ credit card information, which is then encoded onto another card for scammers to use.
The U.S. Secret Service searched San Antonio in October as part of a nationwide operation targeting the scam, which the agency says has been increasing in popularity among criminals. Agents found 17 skimming devices after inspecting 712 local businesses.
Every device is worth about $1.04 million in stolen funds, the agency estimates.
The Secret Service has the following tips for customers: