Editorial: Skimmers found at local gas stations teach us caution

During a routine round of inspections, weights and measures inspectors from the Michigan Department of Agrigulture and Rural Development (MDARD) found credit card skimmers placed inside local gas pumps. On the list of gas stations with the skimmers was one in downtown Belleville.
The hidden skimmers make a copy of the customer’s credit card information for fraudulent use.
MDARD tells us the station owners had security measures in place to protect their patrons, such as security tape, but the thieves cut, broke or removed the tape.
The state tells us to remain vigilant at the pump when using a band or credit card and if you think you may have been compromised to call your bank at once.
The skimmers were found and removed from the following locations:
• Admiral, 3221 Division S., Wyoming
• Admiral, 5342 Westnedge, Portage
• Sunoco, 40200 Michigan Ave., Canton
• Admiral, 4315 Chicago Dr, Grandville
• Mobil, 1396 Ecorse Rd., Ypsilanti
• Sunoco, 5843 S. Martin Luther King, Lansing
• Mobil, 1500 Haslett Rd., East Lansing
• FlexxMart, 496 Main St., Belleville
We sure don’t want our credit card information out for people to misuse. There’s one Van Buren Township resident who never uses his credit card at a pump. He always pays in cash. That’ll do it.