San Antonio drivers caught a bit of a break in 2025, with police recovering 40 credit-card skimmers across the city, a 21% drop from 51 in 2024, according to a map built from department records by KSAT. The interactive tool tracks devices pulled from gas pumps, ATMs and store counters, and it shows several unlucky spots that got hit more than once. The trend is headed in the right direction, but law enforcement and industry experts say skimmers are still very much in the game.
Per KSAT, a spreadsheet obtained through an open-records request shows the San Antonio Police Department found 40 skimmers between Jan. 6 and Dec. 12, 2025. The outlet converted those entries into an interactive map that details only the devices SAPD actually located and removed, not every skimmer that might have been installed in the region. The data breaks down device types and pinpoints exact locations so residents can see where incidents were reported in their neighborhoods.
Enforcement and a New State Law Could Be Moving the Needle
A nationwide operation in October swept through San Antonio, with the U.S. Secret Service teaming up with local officers and finding 17 illegal devices in just two days, according to the Express-News. On the state side, Senate Bill 2371, passed in May 2025, created a formal reporting and enforcement framework for skimmers, including inspection rules and mandatory reporting protocols, according to the bill text on the Texas Legislature website. Between stepped-up inspections, federal sweeps and new penalties, officials say more devices are being spotted and yanked faster, which can cause year-to-year totals to bounce around.
Where Skimmers Clustered in 2025
KSAT's map shows skimmers sprinkled all over the city but turning up most often on gas pumps and at counter readers. The outlet highlighted a Love’s Travel Stop at 11361 Interstate 35 South near Von Ormy as a repeat target and reported six skimmers discovered on Family Dollar counters on Oct. 16. Devices included pump-mounted skimmers, thin tabs slipped into card slots and overlay units placed on top of countertop terminals. The pattern mirrors what experts have seen elsewhere: older, outdoor pumps and busy checkout readers stay attractive to thieves looking for quick hits.
How To Spot and Avoid a Skimmer
The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation advises consumers to use tap-to-pay when possible, choose pumps closest to the store entrance and give card readers a quick “tug and pull” test before inserting a card, according to the agency’s motor-fuel guidance. Merchants must shut down and report a terminal when a skimmer is found, and officials recommend that customers set transaction alerts and keep a close eye on account statements. If a reader looks loose, damaged or oddly bulky, pay inside, switch to another pump and alert the clerk right away.
Even with fewer skimmers recovered in 2025, spotting these devices is a moving target. Rapid reporting and federal operations probably kept losses from climbing higher, but any skimmer that slips through still poses a risk. If you see a suspicious card reader, say something: Crime Stoppers at 210-224-7867 or the SAPD non-emergency line at 210-207-7273 are the go-to numbers for San Antonio residents.
