Resources for Merchants and Financial Institutions

State law requires service companies, technicians, and merchants to take steps to protect consumers through mandatory reporting and by disabling fuel dispensers where a skimmer has been found.

TDLR requires service technicians to inspect for skimmers each time a dispenser is opened for repairs or maintenance. When a service technician finds a skimmer, they must report it to the merchant immediately.

Whether a skimmer is found by a service technician or a merchant, the merchant is responsible for immediately notifying law enforcement and disabling all dispensers where skimmers have been located. The merchant must report the discovery to TDLR within 24 hours using the online webform. Dispensers must be taken out of service until law enforcement or TDLR has responded to ensure that the devices have been properly removed.

Before using a Gas Pump: Use tap to pay if available. If tap to pay is not an option, avoid pumps that do not look well maintained or show signs of tampering. Try to use pumps that are chip card enable. These pumps will ask you to insert your card and leave in the card reader. Look for a pin hole camera over the PIN pad. Is the PIN pad firmly attached. Is the card reader firmly attached. If you have trouble inserting a card into the reader, do not continue or enter anything into the PIN pad.

If you are the victim of a crime, report this to your local police or sheriff’s department. Your financial institution will not and cannot make this report on your behalf. The FCIC does not take offense reports from the general public. The FCIC will assist your local agency with its investigation.

Report the discovery of a skimmer to TDLR.

If a law enforcement agency informs you that they cannot respond to your location to remove the skimmer, send an email to TDLR immediately so we can respond to the scene as soon as possible.

Report Common Point of Purchase (CPP) data to the FCIC

Learn more at the SAPTA 2024 Annual Conference.