12 Ways to Avoid Getting Hacked at the Gas Pump

It’s not a pleasant experience, and if you’ve been a debit card owner for more than 20 years, there’s a good chance this has happened to you.

Getting your debit card hacked at the gas pump.

You go get gas, pay easily at the pump with your card. Then the next time you check your bank statement, you’ll have $100 or more in charges you didn’t authorize for purchases you never made.

Or even worse: you make another purchase and your card is declined because these scammers emptied your account!

It’s rubbish. You feel exploited. Because you were.

Fortunately, technology has progressed a lot over the years and we can now do A LOT of things to prevent this from happening. Nonetheless, I wanted to make a list for you today of some things you can do that will make stealing your card information at the pump either impossible or extremely unlikely.

I realize this is a little outside of what we usually publish here on Real Ways to Earn, but it’s valuable information for anyone concerned about theft and scams.

I want you earn moneybut I also want you to keep it safe from things like this!

1. Use cash

Yes, I realize I’m being very Captain Obvious by just saying to use cash when you buy your gas. But it’s the only way to completely eliminate the risk of your card information being stolen at the pump.

Keep cash on hand and pay with it. No, it’s not as convenient because you have to go to the store, but if your card has been hacked enough times, the inconvenience will be worth it.

2. Use a credit card instead of your debit card

It’s best to use a credit card rather than a debit card at the pump. This is because when you use your debit card and it gets hacked, fraudsters take the money that belongs to you.

When you use a credit card at the pump, fraudsters attempt to use money belonging to the credit card company. So you don’t lose money directly from your bank account.

Additionally, credit cards generally offer better fraud protection than debit cards. You may still need to file a dispute, but credit card fraud is often easier to handle than debit card fraud because the money hasn’t yet left your checking account.

When you file a debit card dispute, the process may take longer. Some banks issue interim credits quickly, but others can take several days or more depending on your bank. This can be very problematic if you need the money to pay your bills or buy groceries and gas.

3. Use your gas station’s mobile app to pay

Many gas stations, like Chevron and Exxon, now have mobile apps that will allow you to pay for your gas through the app. You don’t need to physically take your card out of your car at all!

Most of them work like this:

• Install the app and create an account
• Make sure to allow the app to access your location so it knows when you’re at the pump.
• Go to the gas station and stop at the pump
• Follow the instructions on the app to pay for your gas
• Pump your gas
• Leave!

Each app will work a little differently, but that’s the bottom line. The app will remember your card number, so you never need to insert it at the pump.

4. Turn off your debit card when you’re not using it

Most banks give you the option to turn your debit card on and off through their online banking or mobile apps. You should be able to do this with a single tap.

It’s a good habit to get into the habit of doing this, as many fraudulent transactions can be blocked if your bank supports card locking features.

This is a handy extra protection measure you can take in case your number is stolen despite your efforts. Make it so that the card cannot be used when you are not using it yourself with just the press of a button via online banking or your mobile banking app.

Note that some recurring or already authorized transactions may still be carried out, so this is not a perfect solution, but it can still be very useful.

5. Always try to use the pump closest to the door

Skimmers are often found on pumps further away from the building because they may attract less attention.

You’re a little less likely to be hacked if you always try to use the pumps that are most visible to store employees. Thieves often try to avoid them because they are easier for people inside the store to see.

6. Pay Inside with the Clerk

Even if you don’t have cash on you, it’s safer to pay inside at the clerk using your debit or credit card than at the pump.

The employee’s payment terminal is MUCH less likely to be tampered with, as it is difficult for fraudsters to access when the employee is almost always behind the counter. Gas pumps are a common target for card skimmers because the clerk is usually not there to monitor them.

7. Tap to pay when possible

In recent years, many financial institutions have introduced “tap to pay”: you simply tap your card on the screen to pay for your purchases.

When you fill up with gas at a pump, it’s much safer than inserting your card into a slot or swiping it. Most scammers who hack you at the pump do so with card skimmers inserted into the slot where you insert your card.

If you don’t use a card reader that requires you to insert or swipe your card, then it is much more difficult to steal your card number and information.

8. Do not enter your PIN number

Most gas pumps will give you the option to bypass the PIN if you press Enter while paying for your gas. Always do this!

A scammer who obtains your PIN can take money from your card anywhere, not just when making online purchases.

Not providing your PIN prevents thieves from getting their hands on valuable information on your card.

9. Use the card like a credit card even if it’s not one

If the pump screen prompts you to choose “debit” or “credit”, choose “credit” even if you have a debit card.

Indeed, if the pump uses your card as a credit card, you will not be required to enter your PIN code. This is important to know when you are at a pump that will not allow you to bypass your PIN. Most of them will, but I’ve used a few pumps that didn’t give me the option to bypass the installation.

When this happens, simply cancel the transaction, start over, and choose “credit” as your option.

10. Consider an RFID-blocking card holder

Anti-RFID card wallets and cases are designed to block certain types of contactless card scanning.

That said, RFID theft is nowhere near as common as gas pump hijacking, data breaches, or other types of card fraud. This is technically possible in some situations, but most people are much more likely to have their card information stolen via a skimmer or online breach.

Still, if you want an extra layer of protection, RFID blocking cases and wallets are inexpensive and easy to use. They can come in the form of wallets, handbags or even small clutches.

And they are cheap!

11. Check contactless payment options

Mobile apps offered by gas stations (as mentioned above) offer a simple way to pay contactless at the gas pump, but even if you don’t have these apps installed, some gas pumps will allow you to pay with:

• • Apple Pay
  • Google Pay
  • Digital wallet through your bank

Paying with one of the contactless methods above, if they are available to you, will significantly reduce your chances of being hacked.

12. Check for signs of card reader tampering

If the pump card reader appears to be damaged, do not use it.

You can kind of tell by shaking it to see if it’s loose, or noticing if anything with the keys seems damaged or out of place compared to everything else.

These signs do not always mean that a particular pump is currently being used to steal card information. But don’t use it.

I hope these tips help you if you are worried about getting your pump hacked and NEVER want it to happen again.

Good luck and don’t hesitate to sign up for my weekly newsletters with ideas for making money at home. They are free!

Photo by Maarten van den Heuvel: https://www.pexels.com/photo/photo-of-gas-station-during-evening-2284164/