Gas pump card skimmers
Got bit again. Both times the day after fueling up at a Sunoco station. This time the thieves made two $800+ purchases at two different Home Depots and a couple of smaller purchases at 7-11. Cancelled...
Forum Discussion
Powerdude wrote:
Most US credit cards do not have an encryption chip on them.
Forget the credit cards.
Use cash, it still works.
While I personally try to use "cash" as much as possible, now days it isn't reasonably possible.
It is rare now days to be able to pump first then go in and pay with cash. Many stations only will do cash IF you PREPAY (IE go inside plunk your cash down). I find that is a real hassle for traveling.
So what is one to do?
My solution is to buy PREPAID GIFT CARDS.
The downside is those gift cards are only good for that "brand".
But the upside is no worries if someone is skimming or has hacked the pump reader. Even if they did they cannot get more than what was on that card ($100 max for BP cards). Gift cards are FREE OF LOADING CHARGES but if not used within a year they will be accessed a "fee" for inactivity which will reduce the balance available (use or loose).
The thieves don't get my bank info, nor any other credit card info.. They hit a brick wall..
I thought about getting prepaid Visa or Master cards but to be able to do more than $75 per unsigned transactions you must "register" your name and address to the card AND they CHARGE a "reload" fee when you need to put more on the card..
