A customer walked into the Dollar General at 427 Second Street in Highspire on Saturday morning and noticed something wrong with the card reader. That discovery at 10:29 a.m. on March 8, 2025, likely saved dozens of residents from financial fraud.
The device attached to the payment terminal was a card skimmer designed to steal credit and debit card information from every customer who used it.
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Police Remove Fraudulent Device, Launch Investigation
Highspire Borough Police confirmed they recovered a skimming device from the Dollar General checkout terminal. The small electronic attachment was built to capture card numbers, expiration dates, and cardholder names each time someone swiped or inserted their card.
Authorities have not disclosed how long the device was in place or how many transactions it may have compromised. Anyone who used a debit or credit card at this location should contact their bank immediately and review recent transactions for unauthorized charges.
The department is investigating who installed the device. Tips can be submitted to the Highspire Police Department at 717-939-9866 or through the CRIMEWATCH website.
How Card Skimmers Capture Your Information
Skimming devices fit over legitimate card readers at checkout counters, gas pumps, and ATMs. When you insert your card, the skimmer reads and stores your card data before it reaches the actual payment terminal. The transaction still processes normally, so most victims don’t realize their information was stolen until fraudulent charges appear.
More sophisticated setups include hidden cameras positioned to record PIN entries. Some criminals place fake keypads over real ones to log every number you press.
Thieves can retrieve the stolen data by returning to collect the device or by wireless transmission. Within hours, your card information can be used for online purchases or encoded onto counterfeit cards.
Red Flags at Payment Terminals
The skimmer found in Highspire was an overlay type, according to local news reports. These devices sit on top of the actual card reader and can be spotted if you know what to look for.
Before inserting your card, check the payment terminal for these warning signs:
Physical tampering:
- Card slots that wiggle or feel loose when touched
- Keypads that appear raised or thicker than normal
- Color mismatches between the card reader and the rest of the terminal
- Scratches or adhesive residue around the card slot
- Parts that look newer than surrounding components
At gas stations specifically:
- Broken security seals on pump cabinets (these display “void” when tampered with)
- Card readers that stick out farther than on adjacent pumps
The Federal Trade Commission recommends giving card readers a firm tug before use. Legitimate equipment is securely fastened. If something moves or detaches, alert an employee and use a different terminal.
FBI and Police Prevention Recommendations
Law enforcement agencies across Pennsylvania have issued guidance as skimming incidents increase throughout the region.
Cover the keypad completely with your other hand when entering your PIN. Hidden cameras can be placed anywhere on or near the terminal, including above the screen, on the ceiling, or in modified card slots.
Choose payment terminals in high-traffic areas with good lighting. Gas pumps near the building entrance or ATMs inside bank branches face lower skimming rates because criminals have fewer opportunities to install devices undetected.
Run debit cards as credit when given the option. This prevents you from entering a PIN, which limits a thief’s access to your checking account even if they capture your card number.
Pay inside gas stations rather than at the pump. Station employees work near indoor terminals, making them harder targets for device installation.
Use contactless payment methods when possible. Tap-to-pay transactions through credit cards, smartphones, or smartwatches generate unique transaction codes that can’t be reused, making them more secure than magnetic stripe or chip insertion.
Pennsylvania Faces Wave of Skimming Cases
The Highspire incident joins a string of similar crimes across Dauphin County and surrounding areas.
In November 2024, Lower Paxton Township police found skimmers on an ATM at a credit union on Jonestown Road. Two unidentified suspects were captured on surveillance footage.
Lancaster County authorities arrested four people in January 2025 connected to an organized skimming ring operating from New Jersey. The group placed devices inside gas pump terminals across central Pennsylvania, stealing thousands of dollars through fraudulent diesel fuel purchases.
A month later, police arrested Marcus Covaci, 20, for installing skimmers at Walmart self-checkout registers in Adams and York counties. Covaci returned to one location to retrieve stolen card data and was apprehended in the parking lot.
Franklin County reported skimmers at a Greencastle grocery store in September 2025, where surveillance showed two suspects installing devices on payment terminals.
Steps to Take if You Shopped at This Location
Contact your bank or credit card issuer right away. Most financial institutions will review your recent transactions and issue a replacement card at no charge if fraud is suspected.
Check your account daily for unauthorized purchases. The faster you report fraudulent activity, the better your protection under federal law. Credit card fraud liability is typically limited or eliminated entirely. Debit card protection depends on how quickly you report, with better coverage for immediate reports.
File a police report if you discover suspicious charges. This documentation supports your bank’s fraud investigation and helps authorities track the criminals.
Monitor your credit reports for new accounts opened in your name. Card skimmers sometimes lead to broader identity theft.
Why Small Towns Aren’t Immune
Highspire, a borough of 2,730 residents along the Susquehanna River, represents exactly the type of community where residents might assume financial crimes happen elsewhere. The Dollar General on Second Street serves as a regular shopping stop for working families in this Dauphin County town.
That assumption creates opportunity for criminals. Retail locations in smaller communities often have less sophisticated security monitoring than urban stores. Card skimmers can operate undetected longer when staff aren’t trained to spot them and customers aren’t checking terminals before each transaction.
The customer who found the device at the Highspire Dollar General did what everyone should do: looked at the card reader before using it. That simple action may have prevented hundreds of fraudulent transactions.
One alert shopper stopped this highspire dollar general store skimming operation before it could spread further. The next person to spot a suspicious payment terminal could be you.
