Since 2018, Houston police have found nearly 630 credit card skimmers at gas stations, convenience stores, banks, and other places across the city, according to a Houston Chronicle analysis of police data.
At empty gas stations across Houston late at night, it takes only a few minutes for thieves to open a gas pump andinside. Once installed, the devices collect and wirelessly transmit credit card information that the thieves can often harvest simply by driving past the station.
“The technology these guys have come up with is amazing,” he said. “The only time they worry about getting noticed is when they’re placing into the pumps.” Police data reveals about half of the skimmers were found within a day of being installed. Still, 264 devices remained hidden for over a week, and skimmers found by police had been running nearly two and a half months on average.Police recovered 27 credit card skimmers over 16 visits between June 2018 and May 2021 at this Valero gas station in southeast Houston. Ten skimmers had been active for 546 days and another five for 234 days, according to police data.
State lawmakers have tried to step up enforcement. In 2019, the Texas legislature unanimously passed HB2945, a bill granting the Texas attorney general’s office more powers to coordinate investigations and require gas stations to adopt anti-skimming practices., including their location – a move which the bill’s sponsor, state Rep. Mary Ann Perez, D-Pasadena, said would protect ongoing police investigations.
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