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Multiple Cases Of Credit Card Fraud Linked To Oakhurst Gas Stations

OAKHURST – Anyone who purchased gas recently using a credit card at either of two specific Oakhurst locations should check their bills for any suspicious charges.

On Tuesday, April 16, the Sheriff’s Office received several calls for service in the Oakhurst area regarding fraudulent credit card activity.

Due to the number of incidents and similar circumstances, detectives initiated an investigation and were able to identify two local gas stations as possibly being related to these thefts.

At this time, there are 35 identified victims in this case who purchased gas from Vons Gas and/or Valero (formerly Yosemite Gas) in Oakhurst sometime in the last week, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

Much of the fraudulent activity linked to their cards was in the form of money order purchases made in Southern California.

The Sheriff’s Office says that the outside card readers at the pumps “can be vulnerable to having a device that reads your card information installed in them. The device mimics the look of the original card reader and captures your card information. These devices can be very difficult to spot and are easy to install on the card readers without drawing attention.”

They are still investigating to determine if any such devices were used in these incidents, and that “it is typically safest to pay inside the store.”

If you believe you may be a victim relating to this case, please contact the Madera County Sheriff’s Office in Oakhurst at 559-642-3201.

One comment

  1. This might be a ridiculous question, but how do they gain access to the inside of the pumps to install such a device??!

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Sierra News Online

Sierra News Online