- The U.S. Secret Service prevented more than $428 million in potential losses in 2025 by investigating about 60,000 payment terminals and removing 411 illegal skimming devices.
- The agency conducted 22 outreach and enforcement operations across multiple cities, working with more than 9,000 businesses to combat ATM, gas pump and point-of-sale skimming.
- Law enforcement reported a nationwide increase in skimming schemes, with criminals increasingly targeting EBT cards used by low-income families for essential purchases.
- The Secret Service urged consumers to inspect card readers for tampering and to use chip-enabled cards or tap-to-pay options, especially in tourist areas commonly targeted by fraudsters.
- Skimming devices can be installed in seconds, often paired with hidden cameras, allowing criminals to steal card data wirelessly and use it for fraudulent transactions.
The U.S. Secret Service (USSS) has prevented more than $428 million in potential losses in 2025 after investigating tens of thousands of payment terminals nationwide and removing hundreds of illegal card-skimming devices.
In a Jan. 16 post on X, formerly known as Twitter, the agency said it examined roughly 60,000 point-of-sale card readers and terminals in 2025, identifying devices used by criminals to steal payment card information. In a separate statement released Jan. 7, the USSS said it conducted 22 outreach operations targeting electronic benefits transfer (EBT) fraud and ATM skimming across multiple cities, involving more than 9,000 businesses.
Those operations led to the removal of 411 illegal skimming devices.
Card skimming occurs when criminals attach covert devices to card readers, ATMs, gas pumps or payment terminals. These devices capture sensitive information such as credit or debit card numbers, expiration dates, CVV codes and personal identification numbers (PINs), which can then be used to make fraudulent purchases or withdrawals.
The Secret Service said law enforcement has seen a "nationwide increase" in skimming schemes, with EBT cards increasingly targeted. Skimming operations were uncovered in cities including Los Angeles, Washington, Anchorage, Boston, Orlando, Charlotte, Buffalo, San Diego, New York, San Antonio, Baltimore, Tampa, Atlanta, Savannah, Memphis, Miami and Pittsburgh.
Moreover, EBT fraud disproportionately affects low-income families who rely on government assistance to purchase food and basic necessities.
"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," it said.
Investigations were carried out in coordination with state, federal, and local law enforcement partners and focused on point-of-sale terminals, gas pumps and ATMs. Secret Service teams also distributed educational materials to businesses to help employees identify skimming devices. The agency also issued guidance for consumers, urging them to inspect card readers for signs of tampering, such as loose parts, damage, or anything that appears out of place.
Secret Service recommends chip and tap-to-pay use to combat EBT fraud and credit card skimming
In line with the investigation, the USSS recommended using chip-enabled cards or tap-to-pay options when available and advised people to be especially cautious in tourist areas, which are often targeted by skimming operations.
According to BrightU.AI's Enoch, chip-enabled cards are credit or debit cards that have an embedded microchip that stores and processes data securely. These cards are designed to reduce fraud by requiring a PIN or signature for transactions, unlike traditional magnetic stripe cards. Meanwhile, tap-to-pay options, such as Apple Pay or Google Pay, use near-field communication (NFC) technology to enable contactless payments.
"The U.S. Secret Service is committed to combatting EBT fraud and credit card skimming throughout the country. These proactive operations are aimed at finding and removing devices before criminals can recover the stolen card numbers they contain," said Kyo Dolan, assistant director of the USSS Office of Field Operations.
Additionally, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has warned that ATM skimming devices are often installed inside card readers or terminals and may be paired with hidden pinhole cameras to record PIN entries. Point-of-sale skimming devices, including those targeting EBT cards, are often mounted directly onto terminals and may transmit stolen data wirelessly in real time.
"It only takes seconds to install a skimming device. Fraudsters may seek to distract store clerks, such as by requesting items from behind the counter, to accomplish this," the FBI said.
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