How safe is it to pay at the pump? Most of the time, you're probably fine. However, card skimmers continue to improve and pop up at gas stations.
When you slide your card into a card reader, there may be an extra device involved - a "card skimmer" - that thieves use to steal bank information. They can create fake cards, and use them as if you handed over your own card.
Pay at the pump skimmers are especially nasty because you can't always see them. It's fairly easy to get inside a pump and install a small skimmer where nobody will see it.
Can you avoid problems? You can improve your chances if you use pumps that have a visible tamper-proof seal on them. Otherwise, keep an eye on your bank account. Gas stations will eventually make it harder to skim cards, but the cat-and-mouse game is sure to continue.
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