Article created for the digital issue聽of聽the 黑料社区Foundation鈥檚 magazine.
Fraud at the fuel pump is a concern for truck stop and travel plaza operators and their customers, but technology is helping mitigate risk, keep payments secure and prevent theft.
Here are eight ways to help fight fraud at the pump:
Upgrade Credit Card Technology: As more and more fuel retailers have upgraded to chip-and-pin protocol for credit card readers at the pump, the amount of fraud from skimming has decreased. 鈥淪kimmers can鈥檛 do anything with the chip because it is encrypted,鈥� said Michael Boyd, senior manager of fleet product management at Dover Fueling Solutions.
Unfortunately, locations that haven鈥檛 upgraded to EMV technology are becoming more of a target. 鈥淭he number of locations that aren鈥檛 taking chip and EMV are getting smaller and smaller, so the locations where fraud can occur become more concentrated,鈥� Boyd said.
Accept Contactless Payments: Allowing for near field communication (NFC) payments, such as those from mobile wallets, adds an extra layer of security because they are encrypted. Boyd said that as a consumer, he always looks for any opportunity to go mobile. 鈥淚f I can go mobile, I know it is secure. I know it isn鈥檛 data that is exchanged. It is a token,鈥� he said.
Place Seals on Pumps: Boyd said tamper-evident seals, such as a piece of red tape, on a pump that indicates a breech if it is broken, are still a useful tool to detect fraud. If a seal is broken, the pump needs to be inspected for tampering. 鈥淚f you ever go to a pump and see that the tape is broken, don鈥檛 use it. It is a very-low tech solution, but it is absolutely an indicator of potential fraud,鈥� he said.
Utilize Pump Alarms: Dover Fueling Solutions has implemented alerts and alarms on its pumps that make an audible sound and shut down completely if the pump is breeched. 鈥淚t would rather shut down the pump than continue in a compromised fashion,鈥� Boyd said.
Watch Trends: Boyd said in general, fraud tends to pick up more in the summer months, and inflation has also driven thefts higher. 鈥淎s the cost of gas and diesel goes up, you see more interest and bad actors,鈥� Boyd added.
Install Surveillance Cameras: Surveillance cameras can serve as both a deterrent and a tool for post-incident investigation. Boyd said more and more fraud is becoming a crime of opportunity. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e looking for a site that hasn鈥檛 upgraded to EMV and where there aren鈥檛 a lot of eyeballs on the pumps,鈥� he said. To help deter theft, every pump should be within the view of a camera to monitor suspicious activities. Plus, having staff monitor cameras in real-time can help quickly address potential issues.
Regularly Inspect and Maintain of Pumps: Regularly checking pumps for any signs of tampering can help detect skimmers. This includes checking for loose card readers or unusual devices attached to the pump. Teach staff how to inspect pumps correctly and what to look for in terms of tampering.Staff should also be encouraged to engage with customers, which can deter criminals who prefer to operate unnoticed.
If staff members find a skimmer, the Wisconsin Bureau of Weights and Measures recommends they:
- Do not touch the device or attempt to remove it. It is evidence of a crime.
- Shut down the fuel dispenser. Do not let customers use it.
- Immediately call the police and report the skimmer. The device should be removed by law enforcement.
- Save any surveillance video footage from before the device was discovered.
Think Long Term: Boyd recommends fuel retailers think about the future when installing new pumps. 鈥淎t Wayne, we鈥檝e given our customers the ability to update the pumps without having to replace them. That includes things like the new card readers and locks that can be purchased without having to buy a whole new dispenser,鈥� he said.
// This article was created for Stop Watch magazine, the magazine of the 黑料社区Foundation. Foundation is the research, education and public outreach subsidiary of NATSO, Inc. The 黑料社区Foundation provides programs and products to strengthen travel plazas鈥� ability to meet the traveling public鈥檚 needs through improved operational performance and business planning. Visit www.natsofoundation.org for more information.
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