Ahead of the July 4th Travel Weekend Shell Service Stations Help Consumers Outsmart Credit Card Skimmers
Ahead of the July 4th Travel Weekend Shell Service Stations Help Consumers Outsmart Credit Card Skimmers
(AUSTIN, TX) June 28, 2021 – Sunglasses? Sunscreen? Snacks for the trip? Check. Full tank of gas? Check.
With the July 4th holiday approaching and pandemic restrictions easing, drivers are expected to hit the road in record numbers. According to Business Insider, 70% of people planning vacations are taking road trips within their own state and driving an average of 184 miles from home. When planning a trip, credit card fraud is the last thing travelers should have to worry about. Unfortunately, fraud from credit card skimmers at gas pumps continues to be an issue, which means that fuel customers need to be extra vigilant about identifying warning signs to avoid being scammed.
To protect consumers, Shell stations across Austin have installed new secure chip card readers at pumps at 129 locations. The new chip readers are the global standard for credit card security, created to authenticate credit card transactions and help reduce counterfeit transactions, protect shoppers, and prevent skimming fraud.
“Fuel customers shouldn’t have to worry about their personal information being compromised when they are doing something as simple as refueling their vehicles,” said Motiva Director of Marketing, Todd Jackson. “That’s why it’s so important to Shell that we provide the most advanced secure payment technology so that our customers can fill up with confidence.”
Skimming -- the theft of credit or debit card information, typically at gas stations -- is a problem nationwide, but the state of Texas accounted for 35 percent of the financial losses incurred via this type of crime in the U.S. in 2020.
In the case of gas pump skimmers, perpetrators utilize electronic devices placed inside the point-of-sale system on fuel pumps, with the purpose of capturing the account data stored electronically on a credit or debit card. That data is then used to create another prepaid or counterfeit card, allowing the perpetrator to make a purchase with the victim's account.
“Chip card readers are more secure because the chip creates a unique transaction that cannot be duplicated. Shell is leading in the U.S. fuel service industry in installing chip card readers at the pumps,” added Clay Johnson, Austin area wholesaler with Tex-Con Oil Company.
While it is important for consumers to ensure their credit or debit transactions are on fuel pumps that feature the latest chip reader technology, here are a few additional tips and warning signs
to avoid becoming a victim to skimmers, from the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation:
1. Beware of any loose, broken, chipped or otherwise damaged parts or items on or near the credit card reading device on the machine.
2. Look for any exposed wires, cords or electrical items on or near the credit card reading device on the machine.
3. For gas pumps, retailers often place a piece of tape on the pump that will indicate if the pump has been opened or tampered with without authorization. If this seal or tape appears damaged, broken or manipulated, the device should be avoided.
4. For both ATM and gas station skimming devices, be on the lookout for any items that do not appear to be a regular part of a typical machine. Often, victims will say they knew or thought something was not quite right with the transaction.
5. Additionally, customers using an ATM can pull on the credit card insert overlay before using it. Usually, if there is a skimmer inside the overlay, the whole overlay will come off since it is only applied with two-sided tape or glue.
6. When entering your PIN, cover the keypad with your other hand to prevent possible hidden cameras from recording your number.
7. Immediately report any skimming devices to your financial institution and the Travis County Sherriff’s Office, and the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.
For the locations of Shell gas stations in the Austin area which feature the enhanced secure chip card readers, please visithttp://shell.us/usethechip.
About Shell
Shell Oil Company is an affiliate of Royal Dutch Shell plc, a global group of energy and petrochemical companies with operations in more than 70 countries. In the U.S., Shell operates in 50 states and employs more than 20,000 people working to help tackle the challenges of the new energy future.
About Motiva
Headquartered in Houston, Texas, Motiva refines, distributes, and markets petroleum products throughout the United States. Motiva owns and operates North America’s largest refinery in Port Arthur, Texas with a crude capacity of more than 600,000 barrels a day. The company also operates the country’s largest lubricant plant for both consumer and commercial use. Under exclusive, long-term brand licenses with Shell and Phillips 66 (for the 76® brand), Motiva’s marketing operations support more than 5,200 retail gasoline stations. Motiva is wholly owned by affiliates of Saudi Aramco.
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With the July 4th holiday approaching and pandemic restrictions easing, drivers are expected to hit the road in record numbers. According to Business Insider, 70% of people planning vacations are taking road trips within their own state and driving an average of 184 miles from home. When planning a trip, credit card fraud is the last thing travelers should have to worry about. Unfortunately, fraud from credit card skimmers at gas pumps continues to be an issue, which means that fuel customers need to be extra vigilant about identifying warning signs to avoid being scammed.
To protect consumers, Shell stations across Austin have installed new secure chip card readers at pumps at 129 locations. The new chip readers are the global standard for credit card security, created to authenticate credit card transactions and help reduce counterfeit transactions, protect shoppers, and prevent skimming fraud.
“Fuel customers shouldn’t have to worry about their personal information being compromised when they are doing something as simple as refueling their vehicles,” said Motiva Director of Marketing, Todd Jackson. “That’s why it’s so important to Shell that we provide the most advanced secure payment technology so that our customers can fill up with confidence.”
Skimming -- the theft of credit or debit card information, typically at gas stations -- is a problem nationwide, but the state of Texas accounted for 35 percent of the financial losses incurred via this type of crime in the U.S. in 2020.
In the case of gas pump skimmers, perpetrators utilize electronic devices placed inside the point-of-sale system on fuel pumps, with the purpose of capturing the account data stored electronically on a credit or debit card. That data is then used to create another prepaid or counterfeit card, allowing the perpetrator to make a purchase with the victim's account.
“Chip card readers are more secure because the chip creates a unique transaction that cannot be duplicated. Shell is leading in the U.S. fuel service industry in installing chip card readers at the pumps,” added Clay Johnson, Austin area wholesaler with Tex-Con Oil Company.
While it is important for consumers to ensure their credit or debit transactions are on fuel pumps that feature the latest chip reader technology, here are a few additional tips and warning signs
to avoid becoming a victim to skimmers, from the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation:
1. Beware of any loose, broken, chipped or otherwise damaged parts or items on or near the credit card reading device on the machine.
2. Look for any exposed wires, cords or electrical items on or near the credit card reading device on the machine.
3. For gas pumps, retailers often place a piece of tape on the pump that will indicate if the pump has been opened or tampered with without authorization. If this seal or tape appears damaged, broken or manipulated, the device should be avoided.
4. For both ATM and gas station skimming devices, be on the lookout for any items that do not appear to be a regular part of a typical machine. Often, victims will say they knew or thought something was not quite right with the transaction.
5. Additionally, customers using an ATM can pull on the credit card insert overlay before using it. Usually, if there is a skimmer inside the overlay, the whole overlay will come off since it is only applied with two-sided tape or glue.
6. When entering your PIN, cover the keypad with your other hand to prevent possible hidden cameras from recording your number.
7. Immediately report any skimming devices to your financial institution and the Travis County Sherriff’s Office, and the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.
For the locations of Shell gas stations in the Austin area which feature the enhanced secure chip card readers, please visithttp://shell.us/usethechip.
About Shell
Shell Oil Company is an affiliate of Royal Dutch Shell plc, a global group of energy and petrochemical companies with operations in more than 70 countries. In the U.S., Shell operates in 50 states and employs more than 20,000 people working to help tackle the challenges of the new energy future.
About Motiva
Headquartered in Houston, Texas, Motiva refines, distributes, and markets petroleum products throughout the United States. Motiva owns and operates North America’s largest refinery in Port Arthur, Texas with a crude capacity of more than 600,000 barrels a day. The company also operates the country’s largest lubricant plant for both consumer and commercial use. Under exclusive, long-term brand licenses with Shell and Phillips 66 (for the 76® brand), Motiva’s marketing operations support more than 5,200 retail gasoline stations. Motiva is wholly owned by affiliates of Saudi Aramco.
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