MORE than 200 people now believe their cards have been cloned after using two Dorset petrol stations.

Dorset Police said enquiries are ongoing into the allegations at the Shell garages at Kinson Road in Bournemouth and St Leonard’s.

And information has also been passed to Hampshire Police about allegations of card skimming at the Shell garage at Picket Post, off the eastbound carriageway near Ringwood.

The number of people affected has now reached the same level of the last card cloning allegations in 2007, centring around the Murco petrol station in Southbourne Grove.

The garage subsequently changed hands. Police arrested three people in relation to the 2007 accusations but released them without charge.

DS Richard Niemier of Dorset Police’s economic crime unit said work is ongoing to catch those responsible, and he expects the numbers affected will rise.

“We recognise it’s a big job with lots of people affected. We take seriously cheque and card crime.”

Card readers at the garages have been replaced and police are urging all customers to be vigilant and check bank statements for any irregularities.

DS Niemier said fraudsters needed access to shops and garages to swap the counter-top card reader for a device that has been tampered with.

“They do that either by getting access to the place as a member of staff or working with a member of staff who can grant them access or they purport to be an engineer,” he said.

He said there might be no way of a customer knowing they were using a swapped device but urged anyone who was concerned to contact their bank.

“It is always good to be cautious because other less sophisticated methods still exist. You still get people who want to look over your shoulder,” he said.

Caroline Goldup of Kinson said someone had tried to get money out of her account from South Africa but her bank blocked the transaction as she had just used the card in Tower Park.

She added: “It’s terrible. I had not been at the petrol station for two weeks. They said it can take up to six months.