Fort Myers Police Roll Out New ‘Skim Scan’ Tool To Fight ATM and Gas Pump Skimming Scams

Fort Myers law enforcement now wields a "Skim Scan" detector to catch hidden theft devices at payment points across the city. This new technology identifies the skimming equipment that steals card data from unsuspecting customers.

Detective David Dietz put the scanner through its paces at local stations. "With the skim swipe, we can come to a point of sale system like this, activate it, move it through the light turns green, there's no skimmer attached to the device," said Dietz, according to WINK News.

A 2025 economic crimes grant funded the tech purchase. The Skim Scan identified a skimmer on their first patrol. Since then, checks have turned up clean.

Each year, payment terminal thieves drain more than $1 billion from banks and victims, according to FBI data. These crooks strike when people swipe their cards, stealing sensitive financial info in seconds.

"This is one of the very few preemptive type of law enforcement work that we can do with economic crimes," Dietz said.

Officers run thorough checks during patrols. They test card slots for loose parts, scan for fake keypads, and watch for broken seals — key signs of tampering.

To avoid becoming a skimmer victim, pick pumps near store windows with good lighting, check that card readers sit tight and firm, watch for broken security tape, and choose to pay inside or tap your card rather than scanning.