Credit card skimmers are popping up more and more. Because the technology is changing, it is getting hard to find the crooks stealing your money.
The Hillsborough County Sheriffs Office says a majority of the time, people don't report potential skimmers to police.
More than 300 credit card skimmers have been found in Florida so far this year, according to the Department of Agriculture. That is 130 more than law enforcement found for the entire year of 2015.
"Yeah that really does scare me," said Joseph Covelli, while pumping gas at a station in Tampa.
Covelli lives in Tampa, a hot spot in the state for skimmers.
"If I use my debit card I don't use my pin. I put it down as a credit card. Check our statements, we always take a receipt and we check the scanner and this one right here is loose so it's a little suspicious," said Covelli.
He tugged on the scanner in front of him. But one thing most people don't do is report a possible skimmer to police.
"99.9% of the cases, people are refunded their money and they get their money and they go about their business," said Larry McKinnon, with the Hillsborough County Sheriffs Office.
"If it's due to a scammer or something like that you have to do because there's 100 people behind you just like you said. So you're leaving everybody else vulnerable," said Covelli.
Checking your statements will determine if you have been scammed and even just a little bit of information can lead police to a potential skimmer. If they find one, they may be able to pull a finger print off the device making it easier to catch the crooks.
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But they need you to pick up the phone and dial.
"If you think you work hard for your money and secure it. Be diligent," said Covelli.
The state has a running list of where these skimmers have bee found so far. Click HERE to see an interactive map.
