Bluetooth gas skimmers found at 7-11 in Lee County

Two more high-tech gas skimmers were found at a Lee County gas station. Crooks are coming for people’s cash this holiday season. There are things that can be done to prevent this.

A service technician servicing the pumps at a 7-11 on Alico Road alerted Lee County Sheriff’s Office of two Bluetooth skimmers at the gas station.

“I normally use Costco,” Rachelle Cox said. “But the line has been too long lately. Maybe Costco is even bad. I don’t even now.”

When the gas tech opened pumps 1 and 2 at the station, deputies said the tech found the devices attached to the inside. These kinds of skimmers are advanced technology criminals are using. But, with a quick swipe or an app on a smartphone, people might be able to stop them.

“My information is compromised,” Cox said. And I don’t have money that I think I have. It makes me not want to pump gas. I try to earn as much money as I can, and this would just be very unfortunate if this happened to me.”

One way to protect against this is to walk up to a gas pump, swipe to personal phone settings and hit the Bluetooth button. According to experts, if a long string of numbers tries to connect to the device, that could be a skimmer at a pump.

Another way gas companies are combating Bluetooth skimmers is allowing customers to pay for gas with smartphones.

ExxonMobil calls it Speedpass+, a downloadable app with an online account also available for users.

The best way to ensure protection is to pay for gas with cash at the gas clerk desk.

Cox decided to fill her car with gas at the 7-11 found with high-tech skimmers tonight, and it leaves her worried about her personal information being vulnerable to criminals trying to steal it.

“Absolutely, it’s scary,” Cox said. “I fully just trust computers and technology, and that someone is doing the due diligence.”