Card fraud probe targets garages

Arthur Keene discovered money had been taken

Hundreds of credit card users are discovering they are victims of fraud sparking an investigation by police forces across the region.

Detectives are investigating petrol stations and believe they are a common thread in a card skimming outbreak.

A service area at Weedon on the A5 in Northamptonshire was raided on Thursday after several local people complained of credit card irregularities.

One victim said £350 was taken from her account from a cash point in China.

Manager Nathan Selvar said: "It's a nightmare. I don't have a clue how it is happening but all the staff are cooperating with the police investigation."

Money taken

Cambridge Police also report they are carrying out investigations at a number of service stations in the county and are planning raids so did not give details.

Norfolk Police report they have had dozens of complaints about credit card irregularities from people using one particular garage in Norwich but this is currently closed.

Several callers to BBC Look East from the Great Yarmouth area said they were victims of skimming - where confidential data was taken from their credit cards and used to access their accounts without them knowing.

Jacki Carter from Caister said: "Thieves took £1,200 from our account using banks in Thailand and I believe the card was skimmed at a garage.

"Nationwide building society have been quite quick in refunding our money but I will never pay by card for petrol again."

Arthur Keene from Wisbech believes he is one of 500 victims of card skimming concerning one garage in Bury St Edmunds which Suffolk Police are investigating.

He discovered from his credit card bill that money had been taken using banks as far away as Majorca and Malaysia.

He said: "I don't trust anyone and I'm afraid to take my card out of my wallet. I feel that someone is watching over my shoulder or there's a camera on me and I'm going to get done again."