Cloned credit card numbers, hidden gas tanks, and fuel theft
TAMPA, Fla. - Over the last three weeks, more than 900-gallons of gas has been stolen in Hillsborough County. Detectives are pushing back with covert surveillance and an up-tick of arrests.
It is a dangerous crime; thieves stealing gas using hidden bladders inside vehicles and lugging hundreds of gallons of gas in the homemade containers.
"They’re basically driving a bomb on the interstate,” said Florida Highway Patrol Trooper Ken Watson.
Over the last two months,14 people have been locked up for the crime in our region.10 of those arrests were in the last three weeks in Hillsborough County alone.
"It’s not just a local problem, it's not just a Florida problem, it's a problem nationwide," said HCSO Captain Geoffrey Harris.
Harris is leading an investigation in the county trying to put the brakes on the lucrative crime. Since Feb. 10, the crooks have hit at least 20 local gas stations, siphoning more than 900-gallons of gas worth nearly $1,800.00.
"It's not uncommon for one of these diesel thieves to make approximately $1,000.00 a day," Harris said.
The U.S. Secret Service investigates financial crimes and tells FOX 13 News these fuel fraud criminals operate in loosely organized rings.
"If they know another group that’s looking to get into the same criminal enterprise they’ll share their trade secrets and tell them how it’s done, so it’s not really structured,” explained Assistant to the Special Agent in Charge for the U.S. Secret Service Tampa Field Office, Rick Dean.
It all starts at the gas pump, where skimmer devices copy payment card numbers and zip codes. That data is then cloned onto gift cards.
The 14 criminals we know have been locked up were busted with swiped credit card information from nearly 500 people.
"Every single skimmer can be responsible for up to $1-million of fraud,” Mary Barzee Flores, Floirida Department of Agriculture Deputy Commissioner of Consumer Affairs said.
With those bogus cards in hand, the crooks hit gas stations, pumping massive amounts of diesel into concealed tanks.
The cars, trucks and SUVs are usually modified to hide the bladders in plain sight.
"Some of these guys that we're seeing they're at a gas pump for 45-50 minutes using multiple credit cards,” said Harris.
All that fuel is stored at dump sites, then sold on the black market for a quick, illegal profit.
Right now, officials say credit card companies are being hit hard by this crime, but in October, gas stations will start being liable for fuel purchased with fraudulent cards if equipment is not upgraded to accept secure chip card payments at the pump.