Fuel card skimming is one of the largest scam methods used against any driver, but especially fleet owners working in the trucking industry. Scammers install devices on card readers at fuel stations that are able to go unnoticed. Then when someone at the pump puts in their card, they are able to copy and steal the card’s information and use it for their own purchases. They are even able to steal the PIN codes and other personal identity information, all because a driver put in their card to pay for their gas.

Truck drivers find themselves most often the victim of this scam because truck stop fuel stations are where scammers most often install the device.

Experts in the financial industry have expressed flaws in the chip technology as being partially responsible for the issue. Many cards lack property security mechanisms, allowing their information to be stolen quickly and easily, with little barrier for the hackers to break through. Additionally, cards with magnet strips are even more susceptible to theft as they lack any form of protection. Scammers even have the ability to mess with the actual card readers to make the chip function malfunction, forcing drivers to use the magnetic strip to pay, which makes it easier to steal the information.

Oftentimes when card information is stolen and scammers use the card information, the information gets quickly and heavily. Once the fraudulent actions have been noticed, the card provider will often pause the card and sometimes the entire account. This always creates a large disruption, making drivers have to deal with not only stolen money, but also no means of further paying for anything else until the account is reopened.

Several fleet owners have expressed falling victim to this scam countless times, feeling like their information is stolen daily.

One fleet company, WEX, began following a practice that has reduced their fraudulent actions to nearly zero. Their chief digital officer for the company, Karen Stroup, expressed that they simply have established a process in which they have to be more hands on with the purchase. They know the location of each of their trucks at all times and if they see a purchase being made that does not align with the location of a truck, they do not approve the purchase.