Holographic decals added to some Calgary gas pumps to fight skimming
David Bell | CBC News | Posted: January 22, 2018 11:45 PM | Last Updated: January 22, 2018
Police recommend tap-to-pay feature to reduce chance of being victim of fraud
Holographic decals are being installed at Petro-Canada and Circle K pay-at-the-pump stations, in an effort to fight bank customer data theft, which police say is a billion-dollar industry.
The stickers are placed on the card reader and above the keypad as a way of alerting customers they are safe to use.
"They're very crisp and clean. If you do peel them off, they will break apart. So it's going to be hard for you to re-use them without someone looking at that and saying 'Hey, wait a minute, that decal does not look proper,'" said Sean Sportun of the Canadian Crime Stoppers Association.
In the past, illegal equipment has been installed above keypads and on card readers that allowed thieves to capture card information and personal identification numbers.
Tap-to-pay safest option, say police
Staff Sgt. Cory Dayley with the Calgary Police Service's cyber/forensic unit says it's important to be vigilant when paying at the pump
"Before a citizen uses their payment card, they should always look for any signs of tampering on the payment device," Dayley said.
"If available, we recommend citizens take advantage of the tap-to-pay features on their payment card, which is extremely secure and less likely to result in a breach of their data if the device has been compromised."
Calgary police seized one skimming device at a gas pump in 2017, but no arrests have been made. Police say skimming — including pay at the pump operations — is a billion-dollar industry Canada-wide.
- MORE CALGARY NEWS | Bike sharing in Calgary may be reality by summer
- MORE CALGARY NEWS | Alberta Creep Catcher gets fine, probation for 'repugnant and malicious' crime