Detectives from two police departments, along with federal authorities, are investigating cases of credit card skimming at local gas stations.
Oro Valley and Tucson police have found several credit card skimming devices within the last two weeks, which have been connected to a scam conducted at gas stations, according to an Oro Valley Police Department news release.
A group of suspects used keys to unlock gas station pumps and, once opened, inserted skimming devices into pumps to record credit and debit card information, and pin numbers.
They would later return to retrieve the skimmers, which took less than 30 seconds to remove from the gas pump.
The tampering would not affect the operation of the gas pump, said Liz Wright, an Oro Valley police spokeswoman.
Unsuspecting customers would not realize their information was getting stolen, Wright said.
Oro Valley police began investigating after it received an unusually high number of fraud cases during the end of January and the first week of this month, she said.
People told authorities money was stolen from their personal bank accounts, she said.
The victims credit information was used to make cash withdrawals at ATM’s in California.
All of the gas stations in Oro Valley have been notified, she said.
According to a Tucson Police Department news release, authorities are investigating several people who have been placing the devices inside gas pumps.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Oro Valley Police Department at 229-4900.
Contact reporter Jamar Younger at jyounger@azstarnet.com or call 573-4115.
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