Three Arrested in Credit Card Skimmer Case

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Three individuals have been arrested in Hewitt, Texas for their alleged involvement in a credit card skimming operation. Special agents with the Texas Financial Crimes Intelligence Center conducted an investigation and observed the suspects placing deep insert skimmers into gas station payment terminals at a local Circle K store, which were used to steal credit card information that could later be cloned onto gift cards.

Why it matters

Credit card skimming at gas pumps is a growing problem across Texas, exposing consumers to potential fraud and identity theft. This case highlights the organized nature of these criminal operations and the need for increased security measures at gas stations to protect customers.

The details

On Wednesday afternoon, an agent conducting surveillance at a Circle K store in Hewitt observed one suspect working on pump #8 while two others went into the store. It was noted that the suspects used sandpaper to widen the terminal slot when installing the skimmers. After the first suspect finished with pump #8, he was seen going to pump #4. All three suspects were detained, and one was found with a card with sandpaper attached. Examination of the pumps revealed that both #4 and #8 had deep insert skimmers installed inside the terminals, which were identical.

• On Wednesday afternoon around 1:00 p.m., the agent was conducting surveillance at the Circle K store.
• The suspects were observed working on the gas pumps and entering the store.

What’s next

The three suspects have been booked into the McLennan County Jail, and authorities will continue to investigate the extent of their alleged credit card skimming operation across Texas.