How does EBT card skimming happen?
EBT card skimming happens when a criminal puts a small device onto the EBT point-of-sale (POS) machine that you swipe your card in to spend your benefits at a grocery store or other EBT-accepting retailer.
When you swipe your card, this device (called a card skimmer) secretly records your EBT card number and PIN when you enter it.
Sometimes the card skimmer is an extra layer on top of the POS machine (one that looks like the POS machine itself) and other times it involves a small camera that records you as you enter your PIN number.
The thieves can install the card skimmer quickly without anyone, including the people that work in the store, noticing. Check out this video from the El Cajon Police Department showing just how fast a thief can put a card skimmer on.
Once you swipe your card and enter your PIN at an EBT POS machine that has a skimmer on it, the thieves have your card number and PIN. They can then create a fake card (called “card cloning”) that they can use to spend your benefits, even many states away.
Other times they may spend your benefits online. Because they have the EBT card number and PIN, they can make an online transaction.
Law enforcement is actively investigating and prosecuting EBT thieves responsible for card skimming, but it’s still important to protect yourself.
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