U.S. Secret Service EBT fraud outreach operation finds 22 illegal skimming devices

BALTIMORE - The U.S. Secret Service, alongside local law enforcement and state agency partners, conducted an Electronic Benefit Transfer fraud and payment card skimming outreach operation in Baltimore and the surrounding area Oct. 22-23.

Personnel visited 493 businesses and removed 22 illegal skimming devices, preventing an estimated potential loss of nearly $22.9 million. More than 3,000 point-of-sale terminals, gas pumps and ATMs were inspected.

Teams also distributed educational materials about Electronic Benefit Transfer fraud and skimming to businesses to help them better identify the warning signs of illegal skimming devices in their point-of-sale terminals, gas pumps and ATMs.

This outreach operation was conducted by the U.S. Secret Service, along with the Annapolis Police Department, Baltimore Police Department, Bel Air Police Department, Cecil County Sheriff's Office, Harford County Sheriff's Office and Howard County Police Department. Personnel from the Maryland Department of Human Services also took part in the operation.

"The U.S. Secret Service, and our law enforcement and state agency partners, remain committed to combatting EBT fraud and payment card skimming in Maryland and throughout the country," said Brian McDonough, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service's Baltimore Field Office. "This proactive approach allows us to identify and remove skimming devices that target our nation's most vulnerable populations. I'm proud of the great work of our personnel and our partners during this operation."

The multi-jurisdictional operation is part of a series of similar efforts across the country.

Criminals often steal EBT and other payment card numbers by installing illegal skimming devices on ATMs, gas pumps and merchant point-of-sale terminals. Scammers use skimming technology to capture card information from EBT cards and encode that data onto another card with a magnetic strip. It is estimated that skimming costs financial institutions and consumers more than $1 billion each year.

Law enforcement agencies have seen a nationwide increase in skimming particularly targeting EBT cards. EBT fraud targets the nation's most vulnerable communities. Each month, money is deposited into government assistance accounts intended to help families pay for food and other basic items. This enables criminals who steal card information to time their fraudulent withdrawals and purchases around the monthly deposits.

There are several precautions consumers can take to protect themselves:
• Inspect ATMs, point-of-sale terminals and other card readers. Look for anything loose, crooked, damaged, or scratched. Do not use a card reader if anything appears unusual.
• Whenever possible, use tap-to-pay technology or use debit and credit cards with chip technology.
• If using a debit card at a gas station, run it as a credit card to avoid entering a PIN number. If that is not an option, consumers should use their hand to hide their PIN to block scammers who may be using tiny pinhole cameras above the keypad area to record entries. Use ATMs in a well-lit, indoor location, which are less vulnerable targets.
• Be alert for skimming devices in tourist areas, which are popular targets.