http://wtop.com/fairfax-county/2016/10/skimmers-found-at-8-northern-va-gas-stations/

By Megan Cloherty October 21, 2016 1:08 pm

WASHINGTON — Fairfax County police are asking consumers to check their credit cards statements after card skimmers were found at eight gas stations in the county since the summer.

Financial crimes detectives said the most recent skimmer was discovered this week at a Wal-Mart on Richmond Highway near Alexandria.

Fairfax County police don’t yet know if the skimmers are linked, but suspect that the locations were targeted because the older model pumps made it easier to install the skimming devices.

Thieves used some stolen credit information to withdraw cash from ATMs, investigators said in a statement.

They ask if consumers know anything about the scam or believe their credit might be compromised from a skimmer to call Fairfax Crime Solvers at 866-411-TIPS (8477).

The devices were found at these gas stations:

June 8: Exxon, 5211 Ox Road, Fairfax
July 22: Exxon, 6330 Multiplex Drive, Centreville
Aug. 8: Exxon, 8021 Leesburg Pike, Vienna
Aug. 10: Exxon, 801 Dolley Madison Boulevard, McLean
Aug. 31: Exxon, 3403 Holly Avenue, Annandale
Sept. 16: Exxon, 6948 South Kings Highway, near Alexandria
Sept. 27: Gulf Oil, 8689 Richmond Highway, near Alexandria
Oct. 18, Wal-Mart, 6303 Richmond Highway, near Alexandria

If a skimmer is found at a mattress store in Vienna, I will start to worry.

22180 resident Wrote:
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> If a skimmer is found at a mattress store in
> Vienna, I will start to worry.

Funny, maybe not funny if it really happens

That Centreville location has the worst employees by far and I'm not surprised they didn't notice anything. I wonder if certain family or friends all happen to own these Exxon's.

Gas stations shut down at night, what employees should do is periodically check the card readers to make sure there are no skimmers.

Vixis Wrote:
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> Gas stations shut down at night, what employees
> should do is periodically check the card readers
> to make sure there are no skimmers.

In an ideal scenario, agree this should be done. Question is has Exxon or the oil or other companies provided their employees training on how to spot the skimmers and how to remove them or alert authorities to the issue. Also some gas stations are staffed by some 'characters' in their stores (Wall Street corporations often go for the cheapest help). Not to be biased, but reflection some of the diversity of Fairfax County.

The cops should publish pics of these skimmers so locals know how to spot them. Not just generic photos from the internet, pics of the actual devices that were found.

The Centreville station has great employees and management. I go there at least 5 times a week.


Accusing the station is another case of racial profiling. They are all honest and helpful like most folks from Nepal.

Gas station employees prolly put up the skimmers to pad their pay.

MR D Wrote:
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> The Centreville station has great employees and
> management. I go there at least 5 times a week.
>
>
> Accusing the station is another case of racial
> profiling. They are all honest and helpful like
> most folks from Nepal.

Oh so that kid texting while blocking the fridge and while I'm waiting on him to ring me up he has to finish his text is a great employee?

The shell station on union mill and Lee hwy by far has the best employees.

The major oil companies sold off their gas stations years ago.

The Gulf on Richmond Hwy which was listed is in the Woodlawn area - right across from a crappy shopping center and a stone's throw away from a plethora of Section 8 housing.

Is this what the chip in the credit cards will stop?

XvGTE Wrote:
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> Is this what the chip in the credit cards will
> stop?


Yes.......but it's just a matter of time before they skim those too.

Vixis Wrote:
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> Gas stations shut down at night, what employees
> should do is periodically check the card readers
> to make sure there are no skimmers.

I can tell you for a fact that the Exxon at 801 Dolley Madison Boulevard, McLean does close down, but the pumps work 24/7. Have stopped there many times to get gas very late at night, and while it is kinda dark the pumps still accept credit card transactions. I am always waiting for someone to jump out of the shadows so I usually only get as much gas as I need to get home. Also, the gas there is fucking ridiculously expensive so a couple of gallons is all I would ever purchase.

Ludwig Wrote:
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> XvGTE Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Is this what the chip in the credit cards will
> > stop?
>
> Yes.......but it's just a matter of time before
> they skim those too.

Sigh, no, chip won't stop a skimmer. In the near term, skimmer technology is behind, since it's currently mostly geared for magstripe skimming. But see http://www.bankrate.com/financing/banking/someone-already-made-a-chip-card-skimmer/ -- there are already skimmers that can do it.

What the chip will stop is someone who *has* skimmed card info from being able to create a physical clone of a skimmed card, since that card won't have a chip (or if it does, the encryption key on the chip won't be right).

While there are folks who create physical cloned cards from stolen card data, it's just as easy to use the card info on the web. For a good time, google "american underworld credit" (without quotes): fun episode with a carder. As EMV (the formal name of the "chip card") has been rolled out around the world, fraud simply shifts from card-present to card-not-present use.

And no, nobody is going to skim data from the actual chip. An EMV card has a card-specific encryption key in non-volatile memory which theoretically cannot be read externally. Even if it is possible, it would require sustained physical access to the card (like, in a lab).

BTW, it was October 1, 2015 that the first phase of the "liability shift" occurred: with that, if more than 75% of a merchant's transactions used an EMV-capable terminal (whether the cards used were EMV-capable or not), the bank would absorb any fraud. If less than 75%, the merchant has to eat it (not sure what happens at exactly 75%, heh).

That didn't apply to gas stations, who got an extra two years--so just over 11 months to go there. Anyone seen any gas stations with EMV-capable pumps? I haven't.

Why are people so opposed to using cash? I get that many people live close to the bone and need to charge gas and other things from time to time. But many people doing well choose to pull out the credit card at the gas station, Starbucks, to pay a parking fee etc. Is cash somehow inconvenient or unhip? Just my two cents cash.

Old School Cash Advocate Wrote:
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> Why are people so opposed to using cash? Is cash somehow inconvenient
> or unhip? Just my two cents cash.


Try renting a car with "just cash".

Greybeard Wrote:

As EMV (the
> formal name of the "chip card") has been rolled
> out around the world, fraud simply shifts from
> card-present to card-not-present use.

How are they getting the CCV number that is supposed to be used for card-not-present transactions? AFAIK there is no way to skim it, it's only printed on the card.

Old School Cash Advocate Wrote:
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> Why are people so opposed to using cash? I get
> that many people live close to the bone and need
> to charge gas and other things from time to time.
> But many people doing well choose to pull out the
> credit card at the gas station, Starbucks, to pay
> a parking fee etc. Is cash somehow inconvenient
> or unhip? Just my two cents cash.


I get 3%-5% back in cash rewards. Card makes record-keeping easier for business/tax purposes. Easier and faster than having to deal with cashier. No loss if lost/stolen vs cash.

#1 the foreigners working at your bank did it

OR

#2 your posting this to con your friends into thinking you didn't buy gas using their credit card

either way ... pics or it didn't happen

Old School Cash Advocate Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Why are people so opposed to using cash? I get
> that many people live close to the bone and need
> to charge gas and other things from time to time.
> But many people doing well choose to pull out the
> credit card at the gas station, Starbucks, to pay
> a parking fee etc. Is cash somehow inconvenient
> or unhip? Just my two cents cash.

Still have to use cash for some things
* service tips
* splitting a restaurant or meal check with a large group of others where pay cash to the one in the group paying the entire bill
* some trusted adhoc workers whose business is so small not set up to take credit cards, small home repair or landscaping job by a neighbor who also not set up to do online transfers of cash.
* direct cash gifts for birthday, holiday, etc. Includes office collection say for flowers for coworker who has deceased, etc.
* buy some gifts at local stores with cash. If problem with item requiring a return, lot easier to give gift recipient (especially if long distance) a receipt to do a return themselves that you paid with cash than if credit card transaction where you need to be present to do the return. Of course, some stores offer gift receipts, but not all.
* vending machines, though some now are set up now to take credit/debit cards but even those in questionable areas, you may feel safer paying cash than if the card reader has a skimmer. Likewise with gas pumps, unless you have an oil company revolving credit card.
* small transactions, particularly with small businesses. Local drycleaner will not take credit cards for any transaction less than $10. Though I not hesitate sometimes to pay transactions less than $5 with a credit card if a large business (grocery store self checkout, online prescription refill $0.41, cheaper than mailing check), more often than not pay those with cash if brick and mortar store transaction.
* some toll booths, not set up to electronic payments, or do not travel enough on toll roads to make it worthwhile to get a transponder.
* if so led, giving to beggars on the street, or to musicians performing on the street.

That said, I pay 95% of at store transactions and bill paying online with credit cards or without cash.

A couple more reasons for cash

- On travel, visiting a church in a distant place, giving a small say $1 or $5 offering, not want to get on their mailing list.
- To protect your privacy in transactions. Not want to get on a store's mailing list.

The skimmers t the gas stations are likely the ones the ones that are installed INSIDE the machine. Next time you're at the pump look at the face of the machine, there's a small access door on the front with a key lock. Problem is those keys are keyed alike at the factory. The skimmers are now bluetooth enabled so that numbers can get recorded in real time and exploited anywhere in the world.

As usual, Eastern Europeans, especially Gypsies AKA Roma are behind it around here. Pro tip, if Europe erupts has an uprising, the Gypsies are the first to go, NOBODY likes those vermin.

tCFtJ Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Greybeard Wrote:
>
> As EMV (the
> > formal name of the "chip card") has been rolled
> > out around the world, fraud simply shifts from
> > card-present to card-not-present use.
>
> How are they getting the CCV number that is
> supposed to be used for card-not-present
> transactions? AFAIK there is no way to skim it,
> it's only printed on the card.

The "security code" (different brands call it different things: CVV, CSC, etc.) exists in two forms: the one printed on the front and another, different one on the magstripe. So right, they can't get the one from the front via a skimmer. But many websites *don't* require a CVV for purchase. It's not "supposed to be used"; it's up to the site. Requiring CVV lowers their risk and thus may lower their interchange fees, depending on their processor.

McGruff with bad tattoos Wrote:
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> The skimmers t the gas stations are likely the
> ones the ones that are installed INSIDE the
> machine. Next time you're at the pump look at the
> face of the machine, there's a small access door
> on the front with a key lock. Problem is those
> keys are keyed alike at the factory. The skimmers
> are now bluetooth enabled so that numbers can get
> recorded in real time and exploited anywhere in
> the world.

The machines are supposed to have a seal on them. If that's broken, you should report it to the attendant (who won't care, but) and not use that pump, for this very reason.