EBT/SNAP Card Skimming Scam

Overview

Criminals attach hidden skimming overlays to point-of-sale card readers at grocery stores and gas pumps to steal EBT/SNAP benefit card data and PINs, then clone the cards and drain victims' food assistance benefits before they can buy groceries.

How It Works

Because many EBT cards still rely on outdated magnetic-stripe technology instead of chip or tap-to-pay, criminals place a thin, realistic-looking overlay device directly on top of a legitimate payment terminal's card slot and keypad, often disguised as part of the keypad on point-of-sale machines, making tampered machines difficult to detect. When a shopper swipes their EBT card and enters their PIN, the skimmer silently records the magnetic-stripe data, which scammers then encode onto another card with a magnetic strip. The cloned card is then used to drain the victim's benefits.

Red Flags

• A card reader's keypad or card slot looks loose, crooked, bulky, damaged, or scratched compared to the rest of the terminal
• The terminal requires a magnetic-stripe swipe rather than offering chip insert or tap-to-pay as an option
• Skimming devices are often embedded in point-of-sale machines and disguised as keypads, making tampered terminals hard to detect
• Tourist areas and locations with high concentrations of small stores are popular targets for installed skimmers

Real Examples

• A U.S. Secret Service New York Field Office operation, along with law enforcement partners including the NYPD, NYC Department of Investigation, and USDA Office of Inspector General, concluded a three-day EBT fraud and payment card skimming outreach effort, removing 35 illegal devices (15 in Brooklyn, 9 in the Bronx, 10 in Queens, and one additional device in Manhattan) and preventing an estimated $36.5 million in potential losses; nationwide in 2025, law enforcement removed more than 400 illegal skimming devices, preventing an estimated $428 million in potential fraud losses

Where It Spreads

How to Protect Yourself

• Inspect ATMs, gas pumps, and point-of-sale terminals for anything loose, crooked, or damaged before inserting or swiping a card, and don't use one that looks unusual
• Use tap-to-pay or chip-insert technology whenever possible instead of swiping, since skimmers mainly target the magnetic stripe
• If using a debit card at a gas station, run it as a credit card to avoid entering a PIN; if that is not an option, use your hand to hide your PIN to block scammers who may be using tiny pinhole cameras above the keypad
• Use ATMs in a well-lit, indoor location, which are less vulnerable targets
• Be alert for skimming devices in tourist areas, which are popular targets

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