AUSTIN, Texas – Texas Commissioner of Agriculture, Sid Miller, released a video of tips to avoid becoming a victim of identity theft at the pump.
While many were widely known tips and tricks, Miller shared a little-known fact about the usefulness of your cell phone to combat identity theft.
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Here's Miller's list of tips:
1.) Avoid pumps out of a gas station clerk's view
Gas pumps out of a clerk's view are more susceptible to tampering.
2.) Use a credit card
Miller suggests using a credit card over a debit card when at the pump. In the event your identity is stolen, thieves can clear out your bank account if you use a debit card.
3.) Get a receipt
If you have your identity is stolen, you are able to narrow down where your identity was stolen using your receipt. Additionally, Miller said if you get bad fuel that damages your car, the gas station's insurance company can foot the bill for repairs if you can produce a receipt.
4.) Look for signs of tampering
Miller advises people to grab the credit card reader to see if it's loose and -- if it is loose -- to report it to the clerk. Miller also said many pumps will have seals to identify tampering. If the seal on the "cabinet" of the pump is broken, you should report it to the gas station clerk.
5.) Use your phone
Many credit card readers use Bluetooth technology. Before using the pump, Miller said you should open Bluetooth settings on your phone and see if there are any devices that have names that are a long string of numbers.
Watch the video:
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