Card skimmer found inside a Charlotte County Circle K

Published: Updated:
Deputies located a card reading device on a point of sale machine at the Circle K on Duncan Rd in Punta Gorda. (Credit: Charlotte County Sheriff's Office)
Deputies located a card reading device on a point of sale machine at the Circle K on Duncan Rd in Punta Gorda. (Credit: Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office)

Deputies found a card reading device on a point-of-sale machine at the Circle K on Duncan Rd in Charlotte County Tuesday afternoon.

Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office Economic Crimes Unit is investigating the incident. CCSO recommends changing a debit card PIN, for anyone who has visited the location recently.

The device was on a machine that was not set up for reading a chip, so cards were swiped only, according to the CCSO press release. Also, the device easily lifts off the machine, so checking for it would be easy now that customers know what to be vigilant about.

The finding comes as several reports over the weekend from residents alerted CCSO to fraudulent activity on their accounts, with a PIN used in the transaction, the press release states.

For victims of this crime with unusual activity on their accounts’, CCSO recommends calling their bank immediately and shut down the card. After the account is secure, file a report with law enforcement.

If you suspect suspicious activity, contact your bank or card issuer to immediately deactivate the card.

File a Complaint

If the skimmer is found on a gas pump, and not inside, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) is in charge. They regularly inspects gas pumps and analyzes samples of petroleum products to ensure consumers are being offered quality products at a fair measure. The number of skimming devices discovered by FDACS inspectors more than tripled from 169 in 2015 to 655 in 2017 and may exceed 1,000 in 2018.

Consumers who suspect that a gas pump has been tampered with should contact the gas station manager and file a complaint with FDACS. You can file a complaint online or by calling 1-800-HELP-FLA (435-7352) or, for Spanish speakers, 1-800-FL-AYUDA (352-9832).

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