Cops: Increase in credit card skimmers across Tarrant County

Police across Tarrant County are seeing an increase in skimming at gas stations.

Skimming is a method criminals use to steal your information once you've swiped your credit card at a gas pump.

Arlington police said criminals stashed devices inside pumps 9, 10, 11 and 12 at an Exxon station on Randol Mill Road. Even bolder, another man went inside a business to install a skimmer on an ATM at a gas station on North Cooper Street.

"Grab the credit card reader wiggle it if its loose, report it to the clerk, look for damage to the cabinet,” said Texas Commissioner of Agriculture Sid Miller. Miller released a video online alerting consumers on how to avoid becoming a victim.

Miller said people’s smart phone can detect the devices.

"Just go to your phone, go to settings hit blue tooth, if you see a long string of numbers … stay away from that,” Miller said.

Fort Worth police said they believe a team of people are installing the skimmers across the county. Anyone with information is asked to call police.