Watch Out For EBT Skimming

Law enforcement agencies have seen a nationwide increase in skimming, particularly targeting EBT cards.

According to a release from the U.S. Secret Service: “Criminals steal EBT and other payment card numbers by installing illegal skimming devices on ATMs, gas pumps, and merchant point-of-sale terminals. Criminals use skimming to capture card information from EBT cards and then encode that data onto another card with a magnetic strip, such as a gift card.”

According to Cpl. B. White of the Columbus Police Department, the Columbus area has not seen any recent activity, but the public still should stay alert.

It is estimated that skimming costs financial institutions and consumers more than $1 billion each year.

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 before using. Look for anything loose, crooked, damaged, or scratched. Don't use a card reader if you notice anything unusual.
• If you use a debit card at a gas station, run it as a credit card instead of entering a PIN. That way, the PIN is safe, and the money isn’t deducted immediately from your account. If that’s not an option, cover your hand when entering your PIN. Scammers sometimes use tiny pinhole cameras, situated above the keypad area, to record PIN entries. Use ATMs in a well-lit, indoor location, which are less vulnerable targets.
• Be alert and check for skimming devices in tourist areas, which are popular targets.
• Use debit and credit cards with chip technology. In the U.S., there are fewer devices that steal chip data versus magnetic strip data. When possible, we recommend people utilize the tap-to-pay option.