ROANOKE COUNTY (WSLS 10) - The Roanoke County Police Department is alerting people their information may be at risk after a credit card skimmer was found on a gas pump.
If you used a debit or credit card at the Hanging Rock BP gas station, located at the intersection of Thompson Memorial Drive and Catawba Valley Drive, between January 25 and March 1, you may be at risk of your information being stolen, according to police.
Police believe a skimmer, an electronic theft device, was placed without the station owner's knowledge on pump number three, the pump closest to the intersection.
Anyone who used a debit or credit card during this time should have their card canceled and monitor their bank statements.
The suspects who skimmed the numbers are using card information intermittently to make large purchases. Some victims have lost hundreds of dollars to date.
The gas station has been made aware and is taking steps to prevent the crime from happening again.
Police recommend people take the following steps to prevent becoming a victim of a skimmer:
- Look for signs of tampering like loose parts, mismatched graphics, materials or colors or misaligned arrows on the card reader.
- Check to make sure card readers or PIN pads don't feel thick or bulky.
- Shield the PIN number as you type it in, as a small camera might be observing what you type.
- Pay for gasoline inside or use cash or credit cards.
- Use gas pumps closest to the door of a business.
- Monitor financial statements for any suspicious activity.
Anyone with information about this is asked to contact Detective Van Patten with the Roanoke County Police Department at 540-777-8641.