The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Service is providing tips to help Floridians and visitors avoid skimmers Memorial Day weekend.

Skimmers are devices that are placed on gas pumps to steal consumers’ debit and credit card information.

So far this year 185 skimmers have been found and removed.

The number of consumers victimized by each skimmer is estimated to be about 100 per device, with an average of $1,000 stolen from each victim.

Travelers can take the following steps to avoid skimmers at gas stations:

  • Pay in cash inside the store to ensure credit card information stays safe.
  • Check to make sure the gas pump dispenser cabinet is closed and has not been tampered with.
  • Use a gas pump closer to the front of the store. Thieves often place skimmers at the gas pumps farther away from the store.
  • Use a credit card instead of a debit card. Credit cards have better fraud protection, and the money is not deducted immediately from an account.
  • If using a debit card at the pump, choose to run it as a credit card instead of putting a PIN number in. That way, the PIN number is safe.
  • Monitor bank accounts regularly to spot any unauthorized charges.
  • Consumers who suspect their credit card number has been compromised should report it immediately to authorities and their credit card company.

Consumers who suspect that a gas pump has been tampered with should contact the gas station manager, local law enforcement or the department's consumer protection and information hotline at 1-800-HELP-FLA (435-7352).