Fifteen credit card skimmers have been found in Wisconsin in the past year, all at gas stations in various locations throughout the state. Out of the fifteen, five were reported at gas stations in Madison. Police have reported that they have discovered other locations throughout the state, but wish not to disclose their locations as they are trying to continue their investigation.

There has only been one known victim of identity fraud directly related to use of these credit card skimmers, but police are not sure if there will be others who have not yet come forward. There have been no suspects as of yet.

Traditionally, credit card skimmers have been a small device added to the outside of the original reader, but police have stated that there were multiple skimmers that were discovered on the inside of the machines. Little is known yet about this newer skimmer, but the police have found both external and internal devices.

Police urge the public to pay for their purchases inside gas stations, and they are trying to educate gas station employees to be more proactive against credit card skimmers, which are placed onto machines quickly, and appear to be a normal part of the machine. The person who has placed this device on the machine usually has to collect the skimmer when they are finished in order to use the data.

PC Magazine’s Max Eddy has a few pieces of sound advice to avoid skimmers taking your information in the future. Agreeing with the police, he suggests paying inside for your purchases, since skimmers have to be manually placed on the machine, and this would be unlikely for any credit card reader at the counter.

Pay attention to your surroundings. If pieces of the machine do not look like the rest, be cautious. This includes tool marks near the reader, graphics that don’t align correctly, and colors that may not match the rest of the machine.

Eddy says you can also wiggle the card reader lightly to see if there is any movement on the machine. You can also wiggle your card as you slide it into the reader, as this may hinder the skimmer from correctly obtaining the information on your magnetic strip, but it should not cause errors on an actual credit card reader.

While these tips may help in the future, it is not known when these skimmers were placed and how many others there may be that have been unreported. Stay proactive.

If you notice anything suspicious, contact the gas station attendant and if needed, the police. Keep track of your bank statements and report any suspicious activity.

For more information, or to report possible skimmers, contact the Weights and Measures at 608-224-4942.