Credit card skimmers in Florida have TRIPLED in the last year! YIKES! Most of the activity is in South Florida however it is on a rapid rise statewide.
According to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, inspectors found 169 skimmers in 2015...219 skimmers in 2016...and 655 skimmers in 2017...and pacing for over 1,000 in 2018.
Here's what you can do:
1) Pick a pump close to the clerk window. Thieves are more likely to install skimmers on pumps that cannot be seen by the clerk.
2) Check the card reader by wiggling it. If something does not look or feel right, move on
3) Buy gas with a credit instead of debit.
4) Check for skimmers using your cellphone’s Bluetooth capabilities. If you see a long string of numbers and letters trying to connect, it could be a sign there's a skimmer.
5) Pay with cash. Always your best bet.
photo courtesy of Getty Images