sarahBy Gina Tron
The United States Secret Service is coming to central Vermont this week to combat skimming.
From Tuesday, March 17, until Thursday, March 19, the Secret Service and their partners will visit local businesses, inspect their ATMs and other relevant terminals, and educate them on skimmer fraud and how to identify it.
Card skimmers are illegal devices installed on or inside ATM devices, point-of-sale (POS) terminals, or gas pumps. They capture card data and record cardholders’ PIN entries and use them to create fake payment cards, steal from victims’ accounts, and make unauthorized purchases. There’s also EBT skimming, a common scam where skimmers use these devices to steal SNAP/cash benefits.
The Secret Service will be in Montpelier, Berlin, and Barre, including East Barre and Graniteville, between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. They will also be visiting retailers in Northfield, Plainfield, and Williamstown.
Barre City Police Chief Braedon S. Vail told The Bridge that his department has not specifically seen an increase in skimming in the area. This week’s initiatives are more anticipatory.
“The proactive efforts to educate retailers are important, as not only are all types of scamming becoming so prevalent today, but also the devices and methods being used in skimming efforts are more technologically advanced and easier to deceive,” Vail
said.
Secret Service documents state that while ATM companies are constantly developing security features to combat skimmers, “criminals are always adapting to these security features and advancing their methods to deploy ATM skimming devices.”
They also note that skimmers are typically inserted deep inside the card reader slot of ATMs and are often impossible to detect by looking at the ATM.
Vail said in a press release that if any skimmers are found during this week’s visits to businesses, trained personnel will remove and collect the devices for processing. The eleven operational teams will also be providing brochures, conducting EBT outreach, and educating retailers on EBT government fraud trends. This is part of a larger effort that also includes Maine and New Hampshire.
“The education will better train retailers how to spot devices that may have been surreptitiously installed over a legitimate device and actions to take not only to prevent such occurrences but also follow-up actions to take when identified,” Vail told The Bridge.
Individuals can limit their risk of becoming an ATM skimming victim by using ATMs inside banks, inside bays with security cameras, and at drive-up windows, according to the Secret Service. These locations are more difficult to target. Businesses that suspect their devices have been compromised can contact their local law enforcement agency.
