this is "nightline." >> a new kind of thief is stealing your credit card info while you're getting your fast food. now one former master criminal is trying to help stop it. plus -- >> my son did that. >> a barbara walters' "nightline" exclusive. he speaks out about his son that went on a shooting spree. and under attack. they're young, they're gay, and trying to escape their country. a six-month journey to american

soil. will everybody make it? but first, the "nightline" five.

good evening. vacationers be ware. credit card scammers are setting up shop where you at least expect it. from fast food restaurants to gas stations. they're not actually stealing your card, just making it a target when you hand it over to pay. we've been investigating for months, and now one former criminal is switching side lgs. here's abc's nick watt for a series "nightline" investigates. >> reporter: you are watching a brazen breed of credit card thieves caught on tape. miss it? watch again. this mcdonald's drive through attendant is swiping each card twice. once to charge for the food, then another one to steal the info. crooks can use that to spend a

fortune. he got caught and pled guilty. police say he was stealing up to 70 customers every single shift. they came in for a mcflurry, drove away with their bank info fleeced. but here's the thing, these electronic skimmers are so advanced they don't even need a human to operate. this alleged crook is searching for a skimmer device. it's stowed inside a gas pump in arizona and left. it automatically steals your credit card info. this guy, caught on camera in a covert sting operation. >> he put those in there, for whatever reason, they're not there anymore. i know why. i have them. >> reporter: he's the one who switched out that scanning device for a night vision spy camera. >> we may have the first-ever video of organized bad guys trying to retrieve their skimmers. >> reporter: that's video gold.

>> that's where i found mine, stuck up here. >> reporter: ahmed found a skimming device inside one of his pumps. he said he had no idea. >> it was stuck on one side to the metal. >> reporter: skimming all across the country has gotten so bad that the united states secret service, yeah, the same guys who protect the president, they are now on the case. are you winning the war? >> it's even right now. we're doing our best. >> reporter: they're getting help from police departments, tipoffs from gas station owners and wait till you meet one of their former secret weapons. >> somebody turned my partner in and he turned me in. >> reporter: dan is a reformed hacker, who switched sides. he was caught by the secret service and spent two years training agents in the dark art of skimming. >> this is the reader that would be inside the gas pump.

so you would just swipe it through and it would read it right here. >> reporter: how do they get into those pumps? believe it or not, there's a universal key that opens must gas pump doors. >> that's a universal key, the same key from massachusetts to california. >> reporter: you can buy one online. >> only of the newer devices use cell phonal technology to transfer the data. >> reporter: how much is my number worth? >> $5 to $30. >> reporter: how do we stop guys like dan from going on shopping sprees with your credit card infoe? the arizona department of weighs and measures is trying to stop this high tech heist at its source. >> we're checking for skimming devices. >> reporter: and they found a skimmer in this pump they had their right idea to lay a trap. they pulled out the skimmer

and -- >> we inserted one of these little night vision spy cams in the back. >> reporter: here's the full video. 2:00 a.m. and a black suv pulls into the gas station. police say one fie block's the attendant's view and two people hunch over the pump. here's the view from inside. apparently a man and woman team caught red handed. >> we have the guy. >> reporter: they can't find their skimmer and start bickering. >> it's almost like a husband and wife team arguing about where's the car key snls>> reporter: the cops are still searching for them. so what can you do to protect yourself? gas station owners are seeking new ways to protect their pumps. here are some other things that

you can do. check your account. most credit card companies will suck up any loss if you report it been 60 days. choose wisely. choose a pump near the attendant. skimmers prefer to target pumps in the shadows. and pay inside. it's time consuming, but it's a whole lot safer. i'm nick watt for "nightline" in los angeles. >> later on "nightline," the father of shooter elliott rogers speaks out for the first time in an exclusive with barbara walt evers. but first, the biggest gay club in moscow shuts its doors. now these young men are coming to america. pro. [ male announcer ] go pro with crest pro-health. ♪ from the crest factory in greensboro, north carolina to a walmart near you. join walmart and crest in supporting american jobs.

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for over six months we've chronicled the challenges of being gay in russia. from new laws to old prejudices, life has become harder, not easier for a tight nit community under aback. even forcing to move to the united states. here's terry moran.

♪ >> reporter: this is central station in downtown moscow, russia's largest gay nightclub. here, gays have come for years to meet friends, maybe fall in and out of love. and enjoy their own show, the famous, flamboyant drag performances. but now the curtain may be about to fall here for good, because one by one, the people here who feel like outcasts in their own homeland are being forced to flee this sanctuary. as we learned in an incredible six-month journey to be young, gay, and russian is a struggle every single day. >> here you can't even go outside and say out loud that you're gay. >> reporter: 20-year-old alexi, that's not his real world, works

as one of the drag performers. another is 21-year-old victor, also not his real name. you can leave for another country or you can die. >> reporter: at central station, for a few hours, they are free. >> it's the only place we can do every single watch. >> reporter: but this could be their last act. why? just look at these images. gay rights protests turning ugly and violent. gay activists beaten by those who oppose them. all the violence comes in the wake of a controversial russian law passed last june that bans propaganda of nontraditional relationships on minors.

the result, an intense anti-day climate in the country. that's why we've come to moscow. take a look at this. in the door, bullet holes. there have been more than 20 attacks on central station. in november, two armed men tried to break their way into the club. as if that weren't scary enough, the manager says the ventilation system was rigged to attack patrons with water and sometimes toxic gas. victor says he's fed up, the attacks have gone seemingly unchecked. >> if you're scared, you're weak. >> reporter: so victor and alexi transform themselves into defiant drag queens and perform. but outside, the danger is always there, on the street. the miss tier use morality patrol. we rode them one night and they denied association with any of the attacks. >> translator: believe me, they

have enough enemies around here. >> reporter: we met some of the most extreme anti-gay activists. >> translator: we want to introduce death penalty for those that promote homosexuality. they should be stoned to death like god ordered. >> reporter: they also denied the attacks. then there was this, 50 men strong armed their way on the property, destroyed the roof, stole property, and then started shooting. all the hate has taken a terrible toll. victor is leaving, heading to san francisco for good. >> my mother say to me, go for america, because you can live like normal people. >> reporter: tonight is victor's final performance. backstage, victor has a guest.

>> my brother, he's my one friend. i was in some -- some man told me that gay is terrible. he should die. and i just called my brother and said, i really hope that you leave moscow and russia. he will be happy in usa. >> reporter: and alexi, he will leave, too. >> i don't feel like russia can be better seriously. >> reporter: soon after our first report aired, central station suffered a final blow. patrons say 20 to 25 men stormed the club. >> they were trying to show that

they have force. >> reporter: in late february, the club dimmed its lights and closed its doors for good. alexi says he deeply misses the place he called home. >> now i don't have enough glitter in my life. i don't have enough sparkling in my life. >> reporter: but his friend, victor, decided to make that bold move. >> i'm very proud of him. >> reporter: because there are new beginnings, too. we met victor halfway around the world, bravely charting a new life in san francisco. >> here it's every day like a dream. people here are more free. you're gay and people just are okay with that. >> reporter: here in the castro district where the gay rights movement was ignited decades ago, victor is looking forward to his first gay pride parade

this month. >> i'm excited. >> reporter: he has a new family, a married gay couple that's taken him in. >> when he first came, he spoke no english whatsoever. >> reporter: above his bedroom door hangs a poignant sign. >> in san francisco, it's like 50 or 60 clubs. so different. >> reporter: he admits he's had lonely days and he misses his sister. >> when you change your country, that's hard. >> reporter: but he says his new found freedom is worth it. >> here you walk like you want. here you do what you want. here you live life like you want. >> reporter: he hopes to become a u.s. citizen, to get married, have a family, and to become a star. tonight, he's heading to a new show at a new venue, and it seems nothing can stop him now. >> what doesn't kill you make

you stronger. everyone has american dream. my american dream is being gay and being someone. >> this young lady has come all the way from russia. >> reporter: old anthem. >> this song means so much for me. >> reporter: for "nightline," i'm terry moran in san francisco. now, the owners of the old central station have found a new location and so far they say there have been no attacks. next, barbara walters' exclusive interview with the father of uc santa barbara shooter elliott roger. why is he speaking now? barbara joins us. that would be rocky the flying squirrel, mr. gecko sir. obviously! ahh come on bullwinkle, they're named after... ...first president george rockington!

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we're back now and joined by barbara walters with a special sneak peek at her interview with the father of uc santa barbara shooter elliott roger. part of an extraordinary hour tomorrow on "20/20." his son killed six people, injured 13 more and took his own life. for the first time, peter roger is speaking out. barbara, why do you think he decided to come forward now?

>> well, dan, i think he's really on a mission to raise awareness so that parents who may have a child like elliott can see the warning signs that he feels he missed. >> every night i go to sleep, i wake up and i think of those young men and young women that have died. and that were injured and that were terrorized. and my son did that. my son caused so much pain and suffering for so many families. >> you did not think that elliott was suicidal or certainly not homicidal. >> that's no way i thought that this boy could hurt a flea. i mean, this is -- this is the most unbelievable thing, barbara. what i don't get is we didn't see this coming at all. >> did you know that he was sick? >> no.

this is the american horror story. or the world's horror story. when you have somebody who, on the outside, is one thing and on the inside is something completely different and you don't see it. >> and i'll tell you, dan, this is a man who has to live with the fact that he is mourning a son who he loved but one who did such evil things. >> an amazing story. barbara walters, thank you very much. we appreciate it. for more of her interview, don't miss this special edition of [dramatic music] ♪ >> hey! what's up? how are ya, baby? what's happening? what up? what up? what up? what's happening? what's up? hey. hey. hey. hey. hey. >> cedric! >> ah, there she is. >> i'm back. i'm back. >> all right. what's happening, cuz? >> hi. hi. >> yeah. >> i'm back. [cheers and applause] whoo. okay.

>> ha. hello, and welcome to millionaire. our returning contestant loves hugs, sweaters, and dog hair. that's a little weird. from new york city, y'all show some love for gail gondek. let her hear it! >> thank you. [cheers and applause] >> so hugs, i got that already. >> yes. >> you know, and then-- so what's with the dog hair and the sweaters? >> well, cedric, i like to spin yarn. >> okay. >> and i like to spin it out of organic things like dog hair, celery... >> celery? >> yuca. >> yuca? >> so i could knit you a pair of socks out of celery and yuca. >> nice. >> and if you were hungry, you would have a nice organic snack. you could chew on your toes. >> so i would have-- okay, so-- >> right, so i'd like to do some weaving with spaghetti-- >> you just mix all this stuff. they need to hook you with lady gaga, all this food. >> that's a great idea. thank you, cedric. >> [laughs] all right, you're doing great, gail. let's recap everything we got for you. so far, you are still in round