In an incident that highlights the continuing risk of financial fraud at local businesses, the Fairfield Police Department has appealed to the public for assistance after two men allegedly placed a skimming device on a gas pump. According to the Fairfield Police Department, the suspicious activity occurred around 2:55 pm. Fortunately, the device was discovered quickly enough to ensure that only two customers had used the tampered pump before removing it.
The Fairfield Police have made public images of the two men suspected of involvement in the incident, requesting that anyone with information or recognition of the individuals reach out to the authorities at (707)428-7300. The skimming technique involves a clandestine device known as a "skimmer" which captures card information at the point of transaction. Common targets for these devices are ATMs and gas station pumps, which gather data from the magnetic strip of a payment card as well as the cardholder's PIN, which is often recorded by a covertly installed camera.
With ATM skimming constituting a real threat to financial security, the public is advised to be vigilant when conducting transactions at such machines; the Fairfield Police suggest shielding the keypad when entering a PIN to prevent covert observation, essential because, without the PIN, the utility of the stolen card data to the criminal is notably diminished. Skimmer installations tend to occur at less frequent ATMs, where criminals can operate with a lower risk of detection, and the police have noted that ATMs inside buildings are usually safer to use than those outside.
