New Warnings about Getting Hacked at the Gas Pump

There are new fears that it may be easier than ever for hackers to steal your credit card information the next time you fill up your car.

Credit card provider Visa has issued warnings about potential hacking at gas stations after the company said it's discovered a group exploiting a weakness in pumps that allow hackers to remotely obtain credit card information.

The group, known as Fin8, is accessing gas station networks via e-mail phishing scams and then covertly installing software that targets card readers that don't use a PIN code or chip.

When cards are swiped at the compromised pumps, the software intercepts the credit card information and sends it back to the hackers, unencrypted, so they can use the cards or sell the information on the dark web.

Visa said that it discovered 'multiple attacks' using this technique, but isn't providing any detailed information on how widespread the issue is or where specifically the hacking is taking place.

The problem is that currently most gas station pumps in America aren't equipped to read chipped cards and don't require any sort of PIN to authorize a transaction.

That may be changing soon.

Visa says it will require all gas stations to use chip readers by October of next year or face the possibility of being liable for the fraud themselves.