Secret Service campaign cracks down on card skimming, educates businesses on what to look for

TAMPA, Fla. - Law enforcement agencies in the Tampa Bay area are cracking down on card skimming.

The U.S. Secret Service partnered with local law enforcement agencies and private sector partners on a card skimming campaign in Tampa, Orlando and Jacksonville. On Thursday, teams of law enforcement officers from the Tampa Bay area visited 100 businesses around Hillsborough County, and said they found five skimmers total.

The initiative follows similar ones around the country, where officials said they recovered card skimmers that had stolen millions of dollars from customers. Officers educated businesses on what to look for and how to spot card skimmers.

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"Explaining to the owners of these stores or the operators of these stores how it works and how quick and easy it is for people to do it," said Robert Engel, the special agent in charge with the U.S. Secret Service's Tampa Field Office.

They also searched card readers at big box stores, convenience and grocery stores and gas stations for card skimmers.

"Most consumers probably don't even think twice about it," Engel said.

He said card skimming is a prevalent crime across the country. Engel said card skimming is a quick, easy and lucrative crime that criminals can cash in on tens of thousands of dollars in one weekend.

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"The criminals that participate in this type of activity are very slick and very good at what they do," he said.

Law enforcement officers said any business can fall victim to card skimmers, because they look nearly identical to a standard card reader. Engel said it takes 30 seconds or less for a criminal to attach a skimmer onto a card reader.

"They have these devices that simply overlay on top of the devices that are already there," he said.

The skimmers target debit, credit and EBT cards. Officials said EBT cards are easy to scan, because their technology is not as advanced as the technology on most credit cards.

"Inside of devices are electronics that capture people's information to include Bluetooth devices where they can download the information after skimming someone's credit card or EBT transaction," Engel said.

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He said the person never has to come back into the store to retrieve the information from the skimmer. He said they can access it through Bluetooth on their phone.

Engel said this is a fraud scheme that impacts everyone.

"It affects the taxpayers," he said. "It affects the businesses."

Law enforcement teams on the ground are trying to cut the flow of money from the source. 

"With this type of fraud, as prices go up, credit card companies have to increase the prices, the stores have to increase their prices, and we all pay in the end," Engel said.

Officials said using "tap to pay" with your card or Apple Pay are safer options than inserting your card in the card reader to read the chip.

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