Skimmers put inside Pearland gas pumps to steal credit, debit card info

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Drivers be on the lookout: Crooks using skimmers placed inside gas pumps are copying debit card information and using it to drain bank accounts from drivers in Pearland and across our area.

This type of skimmer is nothing police of seen before and because it's placed inside the gas pump you'll never know with stealing your information until your money is gone.

Gas prices are not be only concern at the pump for Pearland drivers. More than 20 people who fueled up at two Murphy USA locations in the city had their bank accounts drained after police say this man put a debit card skimmer inside the gas pump.

Police say the suspect uploaded stolen debit card information and PIN numbers on to fake cards and then used them to withdrawal a lot of cash from local ATMs.

"Right now we are up to $17,000," Pearland Police Detective John DeSpain said.

DeSpain says the device puts a new twist on stealing debit card information.

"That's the first time I have seen anything like that; every skimming device I have seen has been external, this is the first internal I have seen," DeSpain said.

DeSpain says drivers can not see the skimmer and have no idea their information is stolen until they check their bank accounts. The device is now in the hands of the Secret Service but that is little comfort to drivers.

"It's pretty scary and it would be frustrating," Pearland driver Jennifer Alle said.

Pearland police believe the suspect may have done the same thing at other gas stations throughout our area. If you have seen the person in our stout please call Pearland police.