Don’t Be a Victim of Gas Pump ‘Sliders’ in Indiana

There's no technology involved in this one-- skimmers on chip readers or the new "ghost tapping" scam when tapping to pay-- it's just a regular old-fashioned analog theft.

Something to consider the next time you stop to fill up:

You can never be too sure what threats are lurking in plain sight, and one of the latest threats to Hoosier drivers is taking place at the gas pump. As my grandma always warned, "Keep your wits about you!" You never can be too careful.

Especially as a woman, it's important to be aware of your surroundings at all times; whether it's in the parking garage, walking on a busy city street, or even pumping gas. It's something I try to be mindful of, but I'll admit it's easy to get distracted sometimes. While I'm sure no one particularly likes to pump gas (especially during winter) here's one more thing to consider when pulling up to the pump:

Sliders.

Now, I'm not quite sure when or why I started doing it, but at some point, I suddenly became very aware of how easy it would be for someone to quickly reach into my car and snatch my purse or any other valuables. Think about it-- how often do you just hop out of your car without giving it a second thought?

As the name implies these "sliders" pull up next to your car parked at the pump and while you're distracted at the pump, they quickly slide or reach into your vehicle to swipe your purse, wallet, and other valuables.

As inflation rises and groceries skyrocket, not to mention the recent stoppage of SNAP benefits, I'm sure there's a correlation between economic conditions and a rise in theft. Not to mention we always see a rise in scams and theft around the holiday season.