2011 Gas Pump Skimmers Presentation

GAS PUMP SKIMMERS
TYPES OF SKIMMING DEVICES
• MAJORITY OF GAS PUMPS SKIMMERS ARE
INSTALLED INSIDE THE PUMP.
– PARASITE PIG TAILED AT CARD READER
– PARASITE PIG TAILED AT CARD READER AND
PIN PAD DATA CABLE
– BLUE TOOTH ENABLED
– RF TRANSMITTER
– GSM TRANSMITTER
What Gas Pumps are Targeted
• Older Gilbarco Brand gas pumps were
most common.
– Universal Key
ALL GAS PUMPS HAVE VULNERABILITIES
WHO IS COMMITTING THESE
CRIMES ?
• Organized Crime Groups
• Owner Operators
• Employees & Technicians
• Drug Offenders
ORGANIZED CRIME GROUPS
• Primarily out of Southern California
• Targeting Western US (yeah, they like to
travel)
• High incidence of groups consisting of
Eastern European descent – Eurasian
or…Armenian and Romanian
• Hispanic based gangs have formed an
alliance
Owner Operators
• Not as common
• Potential for more damage
• Can be affiliated with organized crime
groups
Employees, Technicians, Drug
Users
• Increase in occurrence
• Generally less sophisticated
• One to three involved in scam
• More likely to get caught
“Skimmers”
What they look like
BASIC GAS PUMP SKIMMER
PIN & CARD SKIMMER
PIN & CARD READER W/ RF
TRANSMITTER
BLUE TOOTH & RF or WiFi
Transmitter
Blue Tooth Gas Pump Skimmer
Installed in POS pump
Blue Tooth skimmer close up
installed
Blue Tooth Continued
OVER LAY STYLE SKIMMER
OTHER OVER LAYS
OVER LAYS UP CLOSE
Skimmer
PARASITE SKIMMER
(HARD WIRED TO CARD READER)
FRONT VIEW
REAR VIEW
CLOSE UP SIDE VIEW
SANTA BARBARA CO. FEBRUARY
2011
INSTALLATION
CONNECTIONS
CLOSE UP VIEW
PIN & CARD READER SKIMMER
Anatomy
Card Reader Circuit
Board- Skimmer
hard wired to it
SKIMMER
PIN Pad
Jumper
CARD/PIN SKIMMER INSTALLED
GSM Based with Blue Tooth
Heading to your local fuel station
GSM Based with Blue Tooth
• The skimming device reads PIN and Card
Number.
• Communicates with a GSM based receivertransmitter.
• Once PIN and Card number received, the
GSM receiver/transmitter sends the data
to a cell phone…any where in the world
WiFi Enabled Skimmers
• Skimmer transmits through Blue Tooth to
a WiFi based receiver/transmitter
• When data is received, the WiFi
transmitter emails the data…anywhere in
the world
• Can use active hot spots, hack into
wireless network, or use “aircard”
BLUE TOOTH & GSM DIAGRAM
IMAGES OF BLUE TOOTH/GSM
BLUETOOTH/GSM RECEIVER &
TRANSMITTER
What to do if device is located
• DO NOT TOUCH DEVICE
• If possible, act as if you did not find it.
• Monitor the pump and call law
enforcement
• If someone attempts to remove…BE A
GOOD WITNESS
• DO NOT CONTACT suspects
BEING A GOOD WITNESS
• Best way to prevent removal while waiting
for police is to park a vehicle at the gas
pump.
• If suspects do arrive get; license plate
number (take photo of vehicle/suspect
with cell), vehicle description, suspect
description. Direction of travel.
THANK YOU
• Detective Eric Vitale
San Luis Obispo Police Department
(805) 781-7333
evitale@slocity.org