US Secret Service Investigates Card Skimming Fraud

The agency teamed up with local enforcement in Florida, removing skimming devices illegally installed in ATMs, gas pumps, and point-of-sale terminals.
US Secret Service Investigates Card Skimming Fraud
A credit card is placed into a credit card machine for processing payments in La Puente, Calif, on Sept. 11, 2023. Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images
Naveen Athrappully
Updated:
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The United States Secret Service (USSS) exposed multiple instances of card skimming fraud as part of an outreach program in Florida, preventing more than a million dollars in potential losses.

In skimming hacks, devices are illegally installed inside or on ATMs, fuel pumps, or point-of-sale (POS) terminals that capture data from inserted cards. Devices can also record PIN entries made by cardholders. The stolen data are then used to create fake payment cards that enable fraudsters to withdraw money from the victims’ accounts and make unauthorized purchases.