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Texting Skimmers Found On Gas Pump Cashless Readers In NYC

NEW YORK CITY -- Security expert Brian Krebs has published a report about skimming devices employing text-messaging functions on gas pumps here. A new criminal innovation, the use of SMS text messages to transmit stolen data is less detectable than Bluetooth communications. SMS allows the thieves to transmit and receive the stolen data anywhere in the world in real time. According to Krebs' report on his website , the devices discovered on New York City area pumps were introduced in such a way as t...

July 31, 2017

NEW YORK CITY -- Security expert Brian Krebs has published a report about skimming devices employing text-messaging functions on gas pumps here. 

A new criminal innovation, the use of SMS text messages to transmit stolen data is less detectable than Bluetooth communications. SMS allows the thieves to transmit and receive the stolen data anywhere in the world in real time.

According to Krebs' report on his website, the devices discovered on New York City area pumps were introduced in such a way as to use the pump's own power source, which would allow them to operate without detection. 

The newest iteration of the criminal technology, Krebs reported, seemed to relay on cannibalized standard cellphone components, including a T-Mobile SIM card.