79-year-old Fayetteville woman scammed out of $2,000 after trip to gas station

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (WTVD) -- A 79-year-old woman is out $2,000 after a visit to the Murphy USA gas station on Gillepsie Street.

Shirley Barnes said she tried to use the credit card reader at a gas pump, but when it didn't work she went inside for help.

Barnes said the clerk held onto her card while she pumped gas.

"He was extremely nice. I just thought he was doing his job," Barnes said. "I didn't want him to think I would pump gas and leave."

She later discovered she had been scammed.

"At 10:30 that night my phone rang and it was First Citizens Bank in Raleigh," Barnes said. "They called and said my account had been compromised."

Fayetteville Police Department said the gas station clerk, 31-year-old Traybian McNichols, got her information by taking pictures of the front and back of her card. He was arrested and charged with obtaining property by false pretense. He used Paypal and Cashapp to steal $2,000 from her account.

"I cried. That's my money and some of the stuff he did with it I was shocked," said Barnes. "I trusted him. He did wrong, but I blame me as much as I blame him because I shouldn't have left my card."

Fayetteville Police Department offered a few tips to protect your money at the gas pump:

• Leave your driver's license instead of your credit card with the attendant
• Carry cash
• Watch your account closely for any suspicious activity
• Inspect card readers closely