Gas Station Skimmers are on the Rise: 5 Safety Checks Every Road Tripper Must Do Before Pumping

It takes less than 30 seconds for a criminal to install a device that can drain your bank account while you fill your tank. For years the advice was simple which was to wiggle the card reader and if it felt loose you moved to a different pump.

But criminals have upgraded their technology significantly in recent years so the old tricks do not work as well anymore.

In 2025 gas station skimmers are often invisible because new devices called deep insert skimmers hide completely inside the machine.

You can not see them and you can not feel them which makes road trip safety harder than it used to be. But you can still protect your money if you know what to look for and use the right tools.

The New Threat Why the Wiggle Test Is Not Enough

Ten years ago skimmers were bulky plastic covers that sat on top of the real card reader and looked weird or felt loose when you touched them. Today sophisticated gangs use tools that are much harder to spot because they fit inside the machine itself.

Deep insert skimmers are wafer thin devices that thieves slide deep inside the card slot so they do not bulge or wiggle at all. When you insert your card the device copies your magnetic stripe data instantly without you ever knowing it happened.

The threat is growing fast because criminals know that drivers are looking for the old style of bulky device.

• Deep Insert Skimmers are thin devices that sit inside the card slot
• Shimmers are devices that sit between your chip and the reader
• FICO data shows card skimming has increased by over 500 percent recently
• Physical inspections are still step one but are no longer the only step

1. The Visual Scan

Your eyes are still your first line of defense so you should look at the pump cabinet before you even get out of the car. Most gas stations place a security sticker across the door of the pump dispenser to show if it has been opened.

If the door has been tampered with the word VOID will appear on the tape or the sticker will look sliced down the middle. If that seal is broken or looks peeled you must assume the machine is compromised and drive away immediately.

You should also compare your pump to the ones nearby to see if anything looks different.

• Look for the security tape across the cabinet door
• Avoid the pump if the tape reads VOID or looks cut
• Compare your card reader to the pump next to you
• Check for different colored plastic or material that looks new

2. The Tap Test

If you see the Wi-Fi style symbol on the reader which consists of four curved lines you are in luck because this is your best weapon against fraud.

When you use contactless payment like Apple Pay or Google Wallet you use a process called tokenization that protects your data. Instead of giving the pump your real credit card number your phone sends a one-time random code that is useless to thieves.

Even if a criminal manages to steal that code they can not use it again to buy anything. This method is far superior to dipping a chip or swiping a magnetic stripe.

• Look for the contactless symbol with four curved lines
• Use Apple Pay or Google Wallet to mask your real card number
• Go inside to pay if the pump does not have a tap reader
• Avoid swiping your card whenever possible

3. The App Bypass Strategy

The safest way to pay in 2025 is to skip the card reader entirely by using app based fueling options on your smartphone. Most major chains now have their own apps including the Shell App and Exxon Mobil Rewards and BPme and Chevron.

You simply pull up to the pump and open the app to authorize the payment securely through your phone internet connection. The pump turns on automatically so you never have to take your wallet out or insert a card into the machine.

This means the skimmer sitting in the card slot sees nothing because you bypassed it completely.

• Download the specific app for the gas station you use most
• Authorize the pump number directly from your car
• Keep your credit card information stored securely in the cloud
• Prevent physical contact with the machine entirely

4. Pump Positioning and Environment

Criminals are bold but they do not like an audience so they usually target pumps that are hard to see from the convenience store window.

You should avoid the pumps on the far outer edge of the lot because thieves can park a van there to block the view while they install devices. Lighting also matters a great deal because well lit pumps are less likely to have been tampered with overnight.

Whenever possible you should choose the pumps closest to the store entrance where the attendant has a clear line of sight.

• Choose Pump 1 or 2 as they are usually closest to the door
• Avoid pumps on the dark outer edges of the lot
• Look for bright overhead lighting before pulling in
• Pick a pump that is visible to the station clerk

5. The Digital After Care Routine

Even with the best habits things happen so you need a financial safety net to catch fraud before it does major damage. You should set up transaction alerts on your banking app to send you a text or notification for every purchase over one dollar.

If a thief tests your card with a small charge you will know instantly and can freeze the card. You must also follow the golden rule of road trips which is to use credit cards instead of debit cards.

If a debit card gets skimmed the thief drains real cash that you might need for rent or bills.

• Configure banking alerts for all transactions over one dollar
• Use credit cards to keep a buffer between thieves and your cash
• Never use a debit card directly at the pump
• Freeze your card immediately if you see a suspicious test charge

Quick Summary of Safety Checks

Action Steps If You Spot a Problem

If you encounter a pump that looks suspicious or if the security tape is peeled you must take action to protect the next driver. Do not try to remove the device yourself because criminals might be watching nearby and could become aggressive if they see you taking their equipment.

Instead you should go inside and calmly inform the station manager so they can shut down the pump and inspect it safely. If you already inserted your card into a suspicious machine you need to assume your data is compromised immediately.

Speed is your friend here so contacting your bank within minutes can stop the thieves from spending your money.

• Notify the station attendant immediately about the tampered pump
• Do not touch or try to remove the skimming device
• Call the local police non emergency line to file a report
• Freeze your credit card instantly using your mobile banking app

Conclusion

Skimmers are getting smarter so travelers must be smarter too because we can not just rely on wiggling the plastic reader anymore. The best way to stay safe is to stop using the physical card slot and rely on apps or tap to pay.

These tools make the invisible deep insert skimmers completely irrelevant and protect your bank account. Before your next road trip download the app for the gas station chain you use most as it is the single best cybersecurity upgrade for your car. Stay safe out there.