7-Eleven and the Case of the Clipped Credit Cards…Part II

We had a chance to speak with Upper Dublin Police Chief Francis Wheatley about the recent credit card “troubles” many area residents have guessed derive from the 7-Eleven on Bethlehem Pike.

For those who may not have read the other article, it seems since about the fall of 2019, a rash of area residents have had their credit card numbers compromised with charges coming in from places all down the eastern seaboard. While up until now there hasn’t been conclusive evidence that this was happening at the 7-Eleven gas pumps, many residents strongly suspected that to be the case. We can say now with certainty that for at least some of us, it was.

Chief Wheatley confirmed that the Upper Dublin Police Department received many complaints about the credit card compromises and their possible location. The Department contacted 7-Eleven corporate to find the underlying cause of the situation and when corporate inspected the pumps, they DID find skimmers on them.

A credit card skimmer reads the magnetic stripe on your credit or debit card when you use it at the gas pump, ATM or any other point of sale. The skimmer will then store your card number, card expiration date, and your name. Once thieves glean this information, they can use it to rack up phony charges or even to create counterfeit cards.

7-Eleven removed the skimmers and there is an ongoing joint investigation between the Upper Dublin Police Department and the U.S. Secret Service to figure out who is behind the thefts.

Chief Wheatley had some recommendations for those who think their cards might be compromised: “Credit card fraud has been, and will continue to be, a real problem on a local level and on a national level.  If a cardholder believes that their credit card information has been compromised, they should immediately contact their credit card company.  The credit card companies will re-issue a new credit card with a different account number. Notifying one of the credit bureaus and your local police department is another safeguard that is recommended.”

We will stay connected with Chief Wheatley to see how this story develops or to share your stories with him, so he is aware of the scope of the problem. If you have used your card at this 7-Eleven and think it’s compromised, leave a comment on this story or report it directly to the Upper Dublin Police Department at (215) 646-2100.