Secret Service cracks down on payment-card ‘skimmers’ in four cities

The Secret Service said Monday it launched a multi-city campaign to remove illegal “skimming” devices used to steal credit and debit card information during legitimate transactions at gas stations and shops.

Agents and law enforcement partners blanketed Cleveland, Cincinnati, Seattle and Denver in late January to warn hundreds of businesses about skimmers and remove dozens of the illegal devices from stores.

Officials said criminals are increasingly installing the skimmers on ATMs, gas pumps and merchant point-of-sale terminals. In particular, crooks are targeting Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards used by persons on food stamps and other government-benefit programs.

“The U.S. Secret Service, and our law enforcement and interagency partners, will not stand by idly while fraudsters prey on vulnerable communities using illegal card skimmers to commit EBT fraud,” U.S. Secret Service Deputy Director Matthew Quinn said. “By educating businesses, identifying skimming devices, and removing them before valuable data falls into the hands of criminals, we deny their ability to steal benefits from those that need it most.”

Inspectors looked at thousands of payment devices at hundreds of locations in the four cities. They removed six illegal skimming devices in Cleveland, 14 in Seattle and 19 in Denver, though found none during Cincinnati inspections.

A key part of the inspection campaign was to raise awareness. The Secret Service said consumers should avoid card readers that have loose, crooked, damaged or scratched components, or simply look unusual.

When possible, use tap-to-pay technology or debit and credit cards with chip technology, since skimmers often read and capture card numbers and personal information off the magnetic strip on the card.

Officials said people using debit cards at gas stations should use the “credit” option, if available, to avoid entering a PIN. If they must enter one, they should cover their keystrokes in case criminals are using a pinhole camera on the devices to see the numbers.