ST. PAUL - A recent inspection sweep of gas pumps across Minnesota uncovered nine credit card skimmers used to steal card information.
The sweep occurred over a three week period at more than 1,000 gas stations across the state, a Department of Commerce press release said. The exact locations were not released due to open investigations being conducted, but department spokesman Ross Corson said skimmers were found at pumps mostly along the I-90 and I-35 corridors in southern Minnesota, although the Twin Cities also was affected.
The sweep came after an announcement by the state that inspecting pumps for potential tampering was becoming a regular part of pump inspection. State inspectors went through FBI-guided training to identify tampering, and the Commerce Department started an outreach program to help educate gas station operators.
“The Commerce Department is cracking down on these skimmers to protect Minnesota consumers against identity theft and fraud,” Commerce Commissioner Mike Rothman said. “We are working to make sure the state’s gas pumps are secure and customers’ credit and debit card information is safe. We know the threat is real, so we will stay vigilant and continue checking for these devices in our ongoing inspections of gas pumps.”
