Customers at a busy petrol station have been questioned after an investigation was launched into credit card fraud.

A number of customers using the Shell garage on the Chatham-bound carriageway of Blue Bell Hill are believed to have fallen victim to card cloning.

It is not yet known how many customers have been affected. Some motorists have found withdrawals from their accounts have been made across the world, including in Thailand, Malaysia, India and Canada.

Shell is now working with Kent Police and banks to investigate the matter and resolve it quickly.

One motorist, who did not want to be named, said: “I have been contacted by my bank because I have had two of my credit cards cloned. One has been used to try to withdraw cash in Thailand but the transaction was unsuccessful.

“On the other card there have been seven attempts to draw money out in Malaysia over the space of three or four days. Four of these were successful, totalling about £400.”

Another customer, who did not want to be named, said: “I used my card to pay for petrol in there and a week later I had a call from my bank to say they thought my card had been cloned. I don’t know for certain if the petrol station was where my card was cloned because my bank was unable to tell me. But I do use that station regularly.”

Det Sgt Dave Liffen of Kent Police said: “An investigation has begun into the compromise of payment cards with the full co-operation of the management at the service station concerned, and the relevant financial institutions.

“As a result of this collaboration, it is hoped that the inconvenience caused to the card holders affected will be minimal, and those responsible will be identified and brought to justice.”

A spokesman for Shell UK said: “The security of customer transactions is Shell’s primary concern. For us every instance of card fraud is one too many.

“Shell has been supportive of the police, APACS (the UK payments association) and the card service provider in their ongoing investigations into this serious form of organised crime and identity theft. We are continuously working with our retail partners who run our forecourts as well as industry associations to promote best practice in the security of our petrol stations.

“Any reports of fraudulent activity are immediately followed up by Shell’s own investigators, as well as the police, APACS and the card service provider.”