Ohio: Pay Close Attention To The Gas Pumps You’re Using

Gas prices are one of the things that some people choose to watch like a hawk while others are like " I have to get gas no matter what so the price doesn't matter that much". Both of these thought processes are fair to have as rising or falling gas prices could mean a lot of different things but at the same time no matter what the prices are you can't do anything about it but buy it because you need it.

With that being said, the gas stations that you choose to use could be another disastrous decision. Now, you can minimize the dangers of the gas station by being aware of the surrounding neighborhood and area, being diligent about which payment method you choose to use, and being aware of everything that may seem normal or right, because it may just be wrong or out of place. One of the biggest scams of recent times has to do with gas pumps and payment and it's made its way to Ohio.

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I mentioned that payment methods are something to be cautious of and that's because scammers have started to step their game up. The safest way to pay for gas is arguably the most inconvenient, that's going inside to the cashier and using cash. Better yet, even going inside to use your card can be safer than other options, but even that can be dangerous. Those who are most susceptible to this scam are those who choose to pay at the pump.

This scam is known as card skimming and can affect debit and credit card users anytime they swipe their card. This can include use at an ATM, cash register, and even at a gas pump. There are multiple skimming machines that scammers will attach to the card machine of these various items, stealing your card numbers and information as you swipe for your purchase. Skimmers have also started to resort to other tactics to come up with your information as well.

Some of those other tactics include but are not limited to installing a false keypad for you to enter your pin on or simply installing a camera above the pin pad which would be able to record you inserting your card and pin so they can steal your information. There are other tactics they try but those are the most prominent, but the FTC says paying inside with cash is the best practice to keep from being scammed.

Here is a list of other scams to keep an eye out for: