We’re looking into whether credit card skimmers can be detected through Bluetooth devices.
You know those skimmers on gas pumps that thieves use to steal your credit card information.
A viewer reached out to us saying: “I was told when I pull up to the gas station to search my phone for any nearby Bluetooth devices. If a sequence of letters or numbers show up on the device list, there’s a good chance a skimmer is on a pump.”
We can verify this is true.
Our sources for this are the Better Business Bureau and the Texas Department of Agriculture.
Here’s how Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller explained it:
“Most of the credit card readers have Bluetooth technology so just go to your phone, go to settings, hit Bluetooth. If you see a long string of numbers trying to connect, or letters, that is probably not good. So stay away from that. Bluetooth technology travels only 25 or 30 feet.”
The business bureau agrees.
They said keep a close eye on the gas pump to see if it looks or feels like it’s been tampered.
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