Just ask Florin Necula, he would know! While being booked in a Secret Service office he grabbed a flash drive and 
swallowed it. The agents had Necula in custody for credit card skimming and stealing numbers to be recoded on fraudulent cards.
For his swallowing of the evidence, Necula was taken to a near by hospital to remove the flash drive. It was a concern that leaving the flash drive may have injured Necula on its way out. Doctors removed the device without incident.
Gas Station Card Skimmers
Skimming devices are a popular way for fraudsters and scammers to obtain credit card information. This is a popular scam as people use their cards often to purchase everything from groceries to gasoline. One popular spot for skimming devices is at gas stations. Connected to the internal computer system, the skimming device is not noticeable to the consumer. The skimmer can simply read the personal information and identify the secret PIN numbers of people who use the pumps.
Ultimately, scam artists using a variety of very creative ways to commit fraud and identity theft is a growing threat for consumers worldwide.
Using skimming devices netted two Los Angeles men charges related to stealing peoples ATM and PIN numbers. The two have been charged with 32 counts each of identity theft resulting from investigations at gas pumps in the Martinez, Benicia, Hayward, Oakland, San Mateo and Sacramento.
An alert employee spotted some suspicious behavior surrounding the gas pumps. The employee noticed a device attached to the pump. The employee then contacted local area police. Investigators removed the skimmer and put in its place a replica decoy device. They then set up surveillance to watch the return of the perpetrators.
In the wee hours of the morning the skim scammers returned to the gas pumps and removed the skimmer. The police nabbed them and found several other skimmers, blank credit cards, and GPS devices that identified other locations that hosted skimmers.
A New Twist on an Old Scam
Each device has a PIN pad that fits exactly behind the real PIN pad. When an unsuspecting user presses in their PIN number it is transferred via Bluetooth to the receiver. The distance of the transmission can range from a few feet to a city block and depends on the transmission power.
Not Just at Gas Stations
Skimmers are not just found at service stations. Recently airline officials at the Columbia Metropolitan Airport found that a seat had been purchased with a stolen card. After being denied access to the plane, Khalid Jamal Sumbry of New York, who purchased the ticket with a stolen card, quickly left the airport without claiming his baggage that he checked for the flight.
After a search of the baggage the Transportation Safety Administration officials found a credit card skimming device and other paraphernalia associated with credit card fraud. The police apprehended and caught Sumbry.
Protect Yourself from Scammers
Some tips to keep in mind to avoid being scammed:
• If you notice something unusual at the gas pump report it immediately. It may be a skimming device. If you think that the owner or manager may laugh at you think again. They will probably thank you for noticing.
• Keep an eye on your card at all times. Double skimming occurs under the counter and when your card is not in plane sight.
• Keep your card in a secure location and report it missing if you have misplaced it some where.
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