In a sweeping crackdown on financial fraud, the U.S. Secret Service, in collaboration with local and state law enforcement, has removed 22 skimming devices from various businesses across Baltimore. As reported by FOX Baltimore, the operation spanned over two days and potentially averted a staggering $22.9 million in losses. Taking the fight to 493 businesses, agencies inspected around 3,000 point-of-sale terminals, ATMs, and gas pumps, identifying and dismantling the lurking threats of electronic theft.
Brian McDonough, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service’s Baltimore Field Office, emphasized the importance of such operations. “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,” he asserted in a statement detailed by FOX Baltimore. In light of these developments, authorities also provided businesses with educational material designed to aid them in identifying any signs of skimming devices
Card skimming, a surreptitious crime where hidden devices are affixed to ATMs, gas pumps, and other terminals that accept card payments, could result in data theft and financial loss. These devices, as CBS News outlines, grab card information and PINs, which criminals can then use to fabricate fake cards or directly pilfer bank accounts…