A user on TikTok went viral this week after allegedly discovering a “card skimming” device on a card machine at 7-Eleven.
A “card skimming” device is “a plastic shell with a keypad overlay that fits over the actual card reader…When you put your card in the device, it reads the card name, number and expiration date, then will send that information wirelessly,” per KDRV.
This is not the first time a 7-Eleven location has been virally accused of having card skimmers on their machines via TikTok.
While the first accusation came from McKinney, Texas, the new accusation comes from a 7-Eleven location in Springfield, Oregon.
This accusation also comes in the wake of further accusations of card skimming at 7-Eleven—such as one instance in the small town of Sweet Home, Oregon, per KDRV, another in Fresno, California, per KMPH, and a another incident in Manchester, New Hampshire, per WMUR.
This alleged card skimmer was found by TikTok user Anna (@portlandandeugene) in a video that now has over 18 million views.
@portlandandeugene Casually uncovering crime, like: #FYP #Springfield #Eugene #Oregon #PNW ♬ original sound – Anna Stover
The video shows Anna removing the apparent card skimming device, which is affixed atop the normal card reader.
The camera then points to the cashier, who appears to not see nor acknowledge the situation.
Later, Anna ventured back to the 7-Eleven to confront the cashier.
@portlandandeugene Part 2: the confrontation #fyp #Springfield #Eugene #Oregon ♬ original sound – Anna Stover
In this video, Anna starts by saying the local police department told her she was “stealing” by taking the device from the location.
Returning to her follow-up video, when she goes inside the 7-Eleven, she alleges that a second card skimming device has already been removed. This leads her to try to talk with the cashier.
“You guys stole my cash out of my account,” Anna says. Later she continues, “There were skimmers on the machines. I’ve already taken one.”
Throughout the interaction, the cashier stays silent.
In another video, featuring Anna at the police station, someone working at the police station says “you need to take that back,” eventually asking for Anna to give her the skimmer so that she can “give it back to them.”
@portlandandeugene Springfield, Oregon police said give the criminals back their property! #Springfield #Eugene #Oregon #FYP ♬ original sound – Anna Stover
Throughout these videos, commenters noted the importance of checking to make sure card machines aren’t tampered with.
“Most gas pumps have tampering stickers, almost always red, around the ‘cracks’ to show if they’ve been opened,” one user shared.
“It’s been a habit of mine to give anything I put my card into a small tug before I pay for like the last 3 years,” another added.
“I used to work at a gas station. And it is our responsibility to constantly check for them, even outside by the pump,” a commenter wrote. “I’ve worked at a gas station for over 5 years now & you’d be surprised, I’m constantly finding them on the pumps.”
The Daily Dot reached out to Anna via TikTok comment, the Springfield Police Department via email, and 7-Eleven via email.
Source: https://www.dailydot.com/debug/card-skimmer-7-eleven-machine/