The Knoxville Police Department is asking community members to watch out for gas pump skimmers.

Swiping a credit card at a gas station is an easy, common task – but when it comes to keeping your information safe, it’s something you might want to think twice about. People are using devices called gas pump skimmers that are becoming more common. According to the FBI, these gas station attacks cost financial institutions and consumers more than $1 billion each year. To pull off this common theft, people install this device directly onto the gas station pump. The skimmer reads the credit card stripe and gathers sensitive data, which allows them to use it to steal money from people’s accounts or make online purchases with the card information.

To prevent this form of theft, drivers  should check the credit card reader and contact management if it moves or doesn’t seem to fit.  Drivers should also pay with credit, not debit, or pay with a contact-free method, such as Apple Pay or a credit card chip. Authorities also advise that drivers avoid using their PIN or enter it discreetly, and pay at the pump closest to the building. For questions about this scam, contact the Knoxville Police Department.

No skimmers have been located in Knoxville so far, but the department is still wanting citizens to be on alert.