Complaints about debit card fraud have dropped, even though Pinehurst police found a gas pump skimmer two weeks ago.
Pinehurst Chief Fred Hanauer said a complaint about credit card fraud on December 22 led Lieutenant Keith Reneau to check a convenience store. The lieutenant found a skimmer installed on a gas pump at the Valero store at 1427 Strickland Drive in Pinehurst.
Thieves have been installing electronic skimmers on outside gas pumps at convenience store throughout Orange County. The devices are able to read card numbers and personal identification numbers. The device sends the card information to someone with a computer.
The card information is then used to make charges and cash transactions. Some of the victims had not known of the thefts from their accounts until hundreds of dollars had been stolen or charged. Police advise bank customers to get an app for their smart phone to notify them every time their card is used.
In Orange, Detective Captain Robert Enmon said his department has not had debit-credit card fraud complaints related to skimmers in about three weeks. Orange police for a while were checking gas pumps throughout the city. Captain Enmon said officers looked again after the skimmer in Pinehurst was found.
West Orange Assistant Police Chief Jesse Romero said his department has not had any of the card fraud cases reported in recent weeks.
Social Media