Credit card skimmers have become so widespread in Travis County that sheriff’s deputies are urging area drivers to avoid paying for gas at the pump altogether.

Sheriff’s office Capt. Craig Smith said deputies have been cracking down on credit card skimmers in the Wells Branch area over the past few weeks as part of a larger Wells Branch Initiative targeting a variety of crimes in Northern Travis County and Pflugerville.

Within two weeks of the initiative’s kickoff on Oct. 8, authorities had already arrested two people in connection with credit card skimmers.

Smith said investigators are finding that card information swiped with skimmers is often used to purchase diesel to illegally resell.

"Credit card skimming has become such a problem in Travis County, that I’m encouraging everybody to not use their credit cards at the gas pump," Smith said, adding that drivers should go inside to buy gas instead. "I know that takes away from the convenience of pay at the pump 100 percent, but right now that is the only way that we know that you can be sure that (you avoid) your credit card being skimmed," Smith said.

Investigators have tried a few different strategies to identify skimmers and yank them from the pumps.

Deputies have conducted surveillance operations at several gas stations to try to catch someone actually installing a device. But so far, they have yet to be in the right place at the right time.

Smith said deputies also use their cell phones to check for skimmers with Bluetooth technology at pumps in the area.

"If you see an odd Bluetooth device showing up on your cell phone, chances are there’s a skimmer somewhere close," Smith said.

While investigators have found a few devices, authorities usually catch people with stolen credit card information, rather than the skimming device itself.

Smith said the Wells Branch Initiative will continue through Nov. 17.

The sheriff’s office will hold a community meeting at the Wells Branch Community Center at 2106 Klattenhoff Drive at 7 p.m. on Nov. 28 to discuss the outcome of the project, statistics in the area and information on how avoid becoming a victim.