State officials are expanding their investigation into the use of gas pump skimmers in the Valley. The move follows the discovery of two additional devices at a station on 59 th avenue and Bell road.
Skimmers are devices used to steal credit and debit card information from automated card readers. The state investigation started last week after inspectors found three in northeast Phoenix.
Mark Killian is the director of the Arizona Department of Agriculture. He said skimmer-related fraud rings typically come and go in waves.
"We’re hopeful that this is an isolated incident, but it looks like it's building some steam like it has done in other states," he said. "And so we’re trying to warn the public so that they can protect themselves."
Killian is encouraging consumers to ask gas station attendants how often they check their equipment. If it’s less than once a month, he suggests you go somewhere else.
