Jul. 23—Skimming debit and credit cards at gas pumps and online rental schemes are among the most common scams currently affecting the Decatur area, but there are effective ways to combat them, according to officials with the Decatur Police Department and others.
The Better Business Bureau of North Alabama hosted the 2025 Community Fraud Summit last week at the Cook Museum of Natural Science, where a panel of five professionals outlined common scam red flags to the audience.
Debra Goble, risk officer for Peoples Bank of Alabama, opened the summit by sharing scam scenarios she has encountered in banking, including multiple large cash withdrawals by victims and deposits into cryptocurrency ATMs.
“I’m talking large cash withdrawals, like $20,000 to $30,000,” Goble said. “We’ve also seen large wire transfers, where it’s not typical for them to be doing large transfers.”
She said scammers often instruct their victims to transfer money without notifying their bank, and in some cases, bank employees may not immediately detect the wire transfer.
There are also cases in which scammers send the victim money via wire transfer or direct deposit.
“That is stolen funds,” Goble said. “That is stolen money that has been taken from someone else, and when you take that money into your account and you follow their instructions and send it somewhere else, that becomes a money mule. You’re no longer the victim; you are part of the crime.”
Goble said scammers sometimes engage in a tactic known as “pig butchering,” where they build a relationship with the victim over time and convince them to invest in what appears to be a legitimate opportunity, often through a fake app.
“We’ve actually seen customers give away millions in retirement,” Goble said. “They put an app on your phone and tell you to start with a little money, and you keep putting in more. You think you’re really doing well, but that money is not in an account — it’s a fake app.”
Decatur Police Chief Torry Mack made an appearance at the summit to introduce himself to the crowd and talk about his experiences dealing with fraud both personally and professionally.
“Please be aware — even with your credit cards — when you go to a gas station, people are putting skimmers in and taking your data,” Mack said.
Skimmers are illegal devices placed on card readers that capture data from the magnetic strip when cards are swiped.
“People lose not just credit cards, but their retirements,” Mack said. “You’ve worked too many years for that retirement for some low-down scammer to take all your information and purchase items. It takes an act of Congress to get that reversed.”
Mack said scammers are now using artificial intelligence to make phone scams sound more convincing. One way to combat that, he said, is to avoid answering calls from unfamiliar numbers.
Decatur Police Sgt. Sean Mukaddam, supervisor of the department’s Property and Financial Crimes Unit, said he has investigated several skimming cases at local gas stations.
“The best way to locate those is to grab the terminal and shake it. If it’s loose, find another gas pump,” Mukaddam said. “The second way, if you have Bluetooth on your phone, is to turn it on and look for other devices. A lot of times, skimmers will show up on your Bluetooth because that’s how the scammer is downloading your information.”
Mukaddam said the department uses a skimmer detection device to uncover hidden card readers and will check gas stations and convenience stores across Decatur once a crime is reported.
“Usually where there’s one, we’ll find two or three,” he said.
Decatur Police Detective David McLin said the most common scams in Decatur recently have been bail bond scams. In these cases, a scammer will call and claim a loved one of the victim has been incarcerated and needs bail money to avoid prison.
“We’ve seen a lot here lately with rental scams,” McLin said. “Someone will post a house or apartment for rent on Facebook or something like that, and the whole transaction is done through the internet. You send them money online, and the next thing you know, you’re trying to move into your new house or apartment, and someone is already living there.”
McLin said individuals should always contact police if they are skeptical of any solicitation or advertisement they receive. He said there have also been recent reports of credit cards being opened in individuals’ names without their knowledge.
“The best practice I can tell you for that is don’t ever keep your Social Security card in your wallet,” McLin said. “All somebody needs is that card. We’ve had quite a few recently who reported a stolen wallet and also wanted to report identity theft.”
He said identity theft cases can be difficult to investigate unless there is clear evidence of attempted use or fraud.
“Just take preventative measures and keep all those personal identifying documents safe and locked up at home,” McLin said.
— wesley.tomlinson@decaturdaily.com or 256-340-2442.
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