Here & Now

Wisconsin Struggles With Gas Station Credit Card Theft

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

NOW TO CONSUMER NEWS. NEWS OF CREDIT CARD RIPOFFS AT STATE GAS PUMPS. THE LOCKED RESTROOMS AT YOUR LOCAL GAS STATION MAY BE MORE SECURE THAN THE LOCKED CREDIT CARD SCANNER OVER ON THE PUMP. PUMPS AT 15 GAS STATIONS IN THE STATE, INCLUDING 5 IN THE MADISON AREA, HAVE BEEN FOUND TO HAVE CARD-SKIMMING DEVICES. NOW, THESE ARE ELECTRONICS THAT CROOKS INSTALL INTO THE SCANNER BOX TO ACCESS CUSTOMER’S CREDIT CARD INFO AND MAKE FRAUDULENT PURCHASES. IT TAKES LESS TIME TO INSTALL THESE DEVICES THAN IT DOES TO FILL A TANK WITH GAS. THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, TRADE AND CONSUMER PROTECTION HAS BEEN MONITORING THIS. FRANK FRASSETTO ENFORCES CONSUMER PROTECTION LAWS WITH THE DEPARTMENT AND HE JOINS US NOW. THANKS FOR BEING HERE.

FRANK FRASSETTO:

THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

SO THIS IS REALLY PRETTY SCARY FOR CONSUMERS OUT THERE. WHAT ARE THESE DEVICES AND HOW DO THEY WORK?

FRANK FRASSETTO:

WELL, THESE ARE FLAT RIBBON WIRES WITH A DEVICE ATTACHED TO IT THAT CAN READ CREDIT CARD INFORMATION. SO AS YOU GO TO THE GAS PUMP AND YOU PUT YOUR CARD IN THE SLOT, IT IS SCANNING AND STORING THE INFORMATION THAT’S ON YOUR MAGNETIC STRIP.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

AND THE PHOTO THAT’S ON THE SCREEN NOW IS WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE INSIDE THE GAS PUMP, AND SOMEBODY GOES IN AND PUTS THIS SCANNER IN THERE. HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE THEM TO GET THAT IN THERE?

FRANK FRASSETTO:

WELL, REALLY IT TAKES SECONDS TO ACTUALLY SPLICE IT IN BECAUSE ALL YOU'RE DOING IS UNPLUGGING THE REGULAR RIBBON, ATTACHING IT TO THE SKIMMER AND THEN THE SKIMMER GETS ATTACHED TO THE CIRCUIT BOARD.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

WHY IS IT AND HOW IS IT SO EASY FOR THESE PEOPLE TO GET THESE THINGS INTO THESE PUMPS?

FRANK FRASSETTO:

WELL, IF THEY HAVE THE MASTER KEY TO THE PANEL ON THE DISPENSER, THEY’RE ABLE TO OPEN UP THE DOOR AND THEY’VE GOT THE DEVICE WITH THEM RIGHT THERE AND BASED ON THE NUMBER OF STATIONS THAT WE’RE FINDING THEM, AS WELL AS OTHER STATES THAT HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUE, YOU GET TO BE PRETTY GOOD AT SOMETHING IF YOU’RE REPETITIVELY DOING THIS.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

WELL, YOU SAY IF THEY HAVE THE MASTER KEY. WHO’S GOT THE MASTER KEY? EVERYBODY?

FRANK FRASSETTO:

THAT’S SOMETHING I THINK IS PROBABLY UNDETERMINED AT THIS PARTICULAR POINT, EXACTLY HOW THEY’VE GOTTEN THAT PARTICULAR KEY. DEPENDING ON WHAT THE DISPENSER, THE DISPENSER MANUFACTURER, MAYBE HAVE A UNIVERSAL KEY. BUT THERE ARE SOME STATIONS THAT HAVE THEIR OWN UNIQUE LOCK AND KEY SYSTEM. SO I REALLY CAN’T ANSWER THAT FULLY, UNFORTUNATELY.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

ANY THOUGHT BEING GIVEN ON THE PART OF YOUR STATE AGENCY TO KIND OF REGULATE THESE UNIVERSAL KEYS THAT APPEAR TO BE ABLE TO BE USED SO EASILY?

FRANK FRASSETTO:

WELL, FLORIDA HAS A STATUTE ON THE BOOKS THAT REQUIRES CERTAIN SECURITY METHODS FOR STATIONS. MICHIGAN, WHO HAS ALSO BEEN SEEING A LOT OF THIS ACTIVITY, HAS INTRODUCED A BILL. WE’RE CURRENTLY ASSESSING THAT RIGHT NOW TO FIND OUT WHAT IN FACT WE SHOULD BE DOING GOING FORWARD.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

APART FROM THAT ISSUE, WHAT SHOULD CONSUMERS DO TO PROTECT THEMSELVES?

FRANK FRASSETTO:

LIKE ANYTHING ELSE, — AND SKIMMING HAS BEEN AROUND FOR A LONG TIME. THIS IS A NEW TWIST TO IT. BUT WE TRY TO LET CONSUMERS KNOW AND URGE THEM TO LOOK AT THEIR CREDIT CARD STATEMENTS ON A RELIGIOUS BASIS, EVERY MONTH WHEN IT COMES IN, WITH A FINE TOOTH COMB. GOING THROUGH ALL OF THE TRANSACTIONS IN ORDER TO SPOT DIFFERENT ANOMALIES OR GOOFY-LOOKING TRANSACTIONS THEY KNOW THEY DIDN’T MAKE. NOWADAYS YOU CAN ALMOST DO THIS DAILY BECAUSE YOU PROBABLY HAVE AN ELECTRONIC VERSION OF YOUR CREDIT REPORT. IN SOME CASES YOU CAN TALK TO YOUR CREDIT AGENCY AND THEY CAN SEND YOU A TEXT EVERY TIME YOU MAKE A PURCHASE. SO YOU’RE GOING TO KNOW WHEN ACTIVITY IS TAKING PLACE AND YOU’RE NOT THE ONE SWIPING YOUR CARD. BUT WHILE YOU’RE AT THE DISPENSER, JUST TAKE A COUPLE OF SECONDS TO LOOK AROUND AND SEE IF THERE’S BEEN ANY KIND OF TAMPERING BY THE LOCK MECHANISM. THERE’S PRESSURE-SENSITIVE TAPE THAT STATIONS CAN PUT OVER THE CRACK OF THE PANEL. IF THAT TAPE IS INTACT, THEN CLEARLY THERE SHOULDN’T BE ANYTHING IN THAT MACHINE. BUT IF IT HAS BEEN TAMPERED WITH OR BROKEN, YOU MIGHT WANT TO LET THE STATION MANAGER KNOW IMMEDIATELY.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

DATCP HAS FOUND MORE THAN 15 NOW OF THESE PUMPS THAT HAVE BEEN TAMPERED WITH. IS THAT JUST THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG, DO YOU THINK, IN WISCONSIN?

FRANK FRASSETTO:

THAT IS A REALLY TOUGH QUESTION TO ANSWER. IT’S NOT ONLY THE DATCP INSPECTORS, BUT IT’S ALSO EMPLOYEES OF DIFFERENT FACILITIES, THE STATIONS AND CITY INSPECTORS AND EVEN EQUIPMENT SUPPLIER TECHNICIANS WHO HAVE FOUND THESE DEVICES. BUT THE FACT THAT WE HAVE SEEN THESE AND WE KIND OF RIGHT NOW ARE SENSING A PATTERN OR A PATTERN IS DEVELOPING ON WHERE THEY’RE ALL SHOWING UP, WE’RE REDOUBLING OUR EFFORTS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS AS BEST WE CAN.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

WHAT’S THAT PATTERN?

FRANK FRASSETTO:

WELL, IT’S ALONG MAJOR HIGHWAYS, INTERSTATES, VERY BUSY AREAS, TRAVEL CENTERS. YOU CAN IMAGINE WHERE THERE ARE VERY LARGE FACILITIES. AND MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, WE’RE FINDING THE DISPENSERS AT THE FURTHEST BAY AWAY FROM THE BUILDING. FROM A CROOKS POINT OF VIEW, THEY DON’T WANT TO BE DETECTED SO THEY’RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT ANY OPPORTUNITY THEY CAN TO TRY TO GET THESE INSTALLED AND NOT GET CAUGHT.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

WELL, WHY NOT JUST, AS THE CONSUMER, GO IN AND PAY?

FRANK FRASSETTO:

THAT’S ANOTHER ALTERNATIVE. MAY BE A LITTLE INCONVENIENT, BUT IT’S A GOOD ALTERNATIVE.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

WE LEAVE IT THERE. THANKS FOR YOUR WORK.

FRANK FRASSETTO:

THANK YOU.