AVENTURA, Fla. – Aventura police said they caught two men trying to install a device that collects credit card information at a Biscayne Boulevard gas station.
Sgt. Chris Goranitis, a spokesman for the Aventura Police Department, said officers observed Luis Reyes, 28, and Nelson Fonseca Diaz, 28, manipulating a gas pump about 11 p.m. Wednesday at the Marathon Gas Station in the 21000 block of Biscayne Boulevard.
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A search of their white 2001 Ford Econoline van uncovered credit card readers and two large fuel bladders, police said. One bladder held 100 gallons of fuel, police said.
Police said Reyes and Diaz intended to siphon fuel from the station after they installed the credit card skimmer.
Skimmers have become an increasingly popular way for criminals to steal personal credit card information and are surprisingly easy to install.
Tips to avoid being scammed include inspecting the card reader before using to make sure it matches the pump's color and style.
Users should also see if the readers match other pumps at the station and avoid using PIN numbers at gas stations.
Luis faces multiple charges of credit fraud and charges related to the illegal transport of fuel. He is currently being held at Miami-Dade County's Metro West Detention Center on $25,000 bond.
Charging information was not available for Diaz.