Fuel theft using fraudulent credit cards has become widespread with the development of skimmers that steal account information at gas station pumps. Here's a look at how they work, what authorities are doing to combat them and what consumers can do to protect themselves.

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SKIMMERS

Skimmers are electronic credit card readers that thieves insert inside fuel pumps. Most can't be seen from the outside, and the technology has become more sophisticated. They're smaller and can capture the zip codes and personal identification numbers consumers punch in as well as their account information. Some e...