Crooks Using Bluetooth To Steal At Gas Pumps « CBS Dallas / Fort Worth

CBS Dallas Fort Worth ^ | 08/04/2016 | Jeff Paul

[MarchonDC09122009]

Crooks Using Bluetooth To Steal At Gas Pumps « CBS Dallas / Fort Worth

http://dfw.cbslocal.com/2016/08/04/crooks-using-bluetooth-to-steal-at-gas-pumps/

DALLAS (CBS11) -Pump prowlers in Dallas are stepping up their game, stealing bank information in some cases instantaneously with a new device police are calling “scary.”

Dallas Police recently discovered five different skimming devices that utilize Bluetooth technology. Bluetooth skimmer (Jeff Paul - CBS11)

Bluetooth skimmer (Jeff Paul – CBS11)

“I think that’s terrible,” said Tracy Schlossstein, a driver who uses one of the impacted gas station.

Investigators said they found the devices buried inside the outside, credit card kiosks at four different ExxonMobil gas stations.

“I think that’s sad because they could be over there in the next parking lot reading information, hacking it off the computer,” said Schlossstein.

Dallas Police said instead of the crooks returning to the machine to collect the data, the credit card information is sent directly to someone likely sitting in the parking lot on their computer.

“They can do it in a split second, put it on. So they obviously have knowledge of the pumps,” said Dallas Police Lt. Tony Crawford.

The last Bluetooth skimmer was found on Thursday afternoon.

“It makes total sense being that Bluetooth is very short-range, easy to install, micro-small,” said Michael Dear, owner of Spy Centre Security.

Dear said consumers or gas station owners could purchase a frequency detector to figure out if one of the new devices are attached to their pumps.

Basic models start at $200, but more sophisticated units that can pin-point each specific frequency can cost up to $500.

“It doesn’t surprise me, the thieves and criminal are always a step ahead,” said Dear.

The most obviously way drivers can fight back against the new Bluetooth skimmers is to stop using plastic and stay away from the outside kiosks when buying gas.

“Now that you’ve made me aware of it, I’ll probably get cash and go inside and pay,” said Schlossstein.

Police also urge driver to look for gas stations that have security tape strips. If anyone has cracked inside, the seal would be broken.

[MarchonDC09122009]

FReeper community friends and family: Use extra caution when paying for fuel at an outside gas pump credit card terminal. Thieves are constantly finding new ways to compromise security using credit card skimmers that look like the point-of-sale credit card terminal.

This is also a growing problems at ATM terminals, especially non-bank ATMS, like the kind inside convenience stores.

Pay with cash, or at least go inside the gas station store to pay with your credit card. Also, you're advised NOT to use your debit card since if compromised and not reported within several days, you can be held financially responsible for your bank account losses.

[MarchonDC09122009]

All About Skimmers — Krebs on Security

www.krebsonsecurity.com/all-about-skimmers/

The series I’ve written about ATM skimmers, gas pump skimmers and other ... a not-for-profit payment security organization, ATM crimes in Europe jumped...

[MrEdd]

Brief obligatory “I told you so” coupled with lack of sympathy of any sort.

[kingu]

What always gets me about these stories is that they don’t talk about the most likely skimming events. Restaurants and gas stations where you hand your card over to an employee. That’s so much more likely than any random terminal having a skimming device.

[MarchonDC09122009]

The FBI has been kept very busy keeping up with this crime, for some time.

FBI assists in Cincinnati credit card skimmer investigation | Local ...

www.wlwt.com/news/fbi-assists-in-cincinnati-credit-ca... Proxy Highlight

Dec 29, 2015 ... Skimmers that copy credit card information were found at two more Hamilton County gas stations.
Credit card skimmer found in Fort Wayne, FBI investigating | WANE

www.wane.com/2016/02/17/police-warn-of-credit-card-sk... Proxy Highlight

Feb 17, 2016 ... FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) Fort Wayne police have issued a warning to residents to be on the lookout for credit card skimmers. The warning ...
ATM Skimming — FBI

https://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/atm-skimming Proxy Highlight

Jul 14, 2011 ... How criminals use hidden cameras, fake card slots, and other ruses to steal your money at the ATM.
FBI — Cyber Security: Threats to the Financial Sector

https://www.fbi.gov/news/testimony/cyber-security-thr... Proxy Highlight

Sep 14, 2011 ... ATM skimming is also a prevalent global cyber crime. .... flow to the private sector by not only reaching out to the current InfraGard membership ...

[matthew fuller]

Thanks for this info- looks like an extremely valuable site. f’wded to all my friends.

[Dalberg-Acton]

I saw that on TeeVee last night. The best bet is to pay inside and use CASH.

[Smittie]

Pay with cash,

Who carries cash anymore? I never even see any of the money that gets deposited. I may have $5 or $10 on me...

[GoldwaterCountry]

Cash will someday be illegal.

[Smittie]

Cash will someday be illegal.

That's true. It's starting incrementally, the toll roads around here are slowly taking down the toll booths and forcing everyone to use "easy tags." Of course it's supposed to save money & be more convenient and I guess it is for them.

[PLMerite]

They need to make the punishment for theft/robbery harsher.

They need to make the penalty for identity theft and voter fraud death.

[Company Man]

When they are able to open the pump and place the malware inside, that is a new class of device that goes beyond skimmers. The public can detect skimmers. This, they cannot.

The next step, I predict, will be phony "anti-tamper" seals on compromised pumps.

[reed13k]

bfl