MONTGOMERY COUNTY — Weights and measures inspectors found no illegal credit card skimmers during a sweep of gas stations in Montgomery County on Thursday, according to Montgomery County Auditor Karl Keith‘s office.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
The inspections occurred ahead of Memorial Day weekend and targeted 397 fuel pumps at 42 gas stations in the county.
Inspectors focused on locations along major thoroughfares and near interstate exits expected to see increased holiday traffic, the office said.
TRENDING STORIES:
- ‘Tough road to navigate;’ Local racing community remembers late NASCAR champion Kyle Busch
- Man arrested on nearly 2 dozen counts of rape in Clark County
- Dayton man accused of stealing over $15K in property from cars in Butler County
The sweep aimed to protect motorists traveling through Montgomery County, along Interstates 70 and 75.
More than 45 million Americans are expected to travel during the Memorial Day weekend.
“Montgomery County sits at the crossroads of America and millions of travelers will pass through our community this holiday weekend,” Keith said. “Our inspectors worked proactively to make sure consumers can fuel up safely and travel with confidence during one of the busiest travel weekends of the year.”
Keith said chip reader technology has significantly improved financial security for consumers through encrypted transactions.
He encourages gas stations to make sure their chip readers are functioning properly and to install site-specific locks on their pumps.
Despite finding no skimmers, Keith urges drivers to remain vigilant while traveling.
“We want motorists to enjoy a safe Memorial Day weekend and take simple precautions to protect their financial information,” Keith said. “If you pay at the pump, use a credit card whenever possible and avoid swiping your card if tap or chip payment is available.”
He recommends several measures for consumers to protect their financial information from skimmers:
- Pay with cash
- Use a credit card rather than a debit card
- Tap the card to pay when available
- Monitor bank and credit card statements frequently
- Use pumps closest to the attendant because criminals often target pumps farther away
- Report anything that indicates a pump has been tampered with
To learn more about skimmers and how to protect yourself from fraud, click here.
[SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]