Recently, incidents of Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card fraud have been on the rise, with some seniors having their account balances quickly depleted after swiping at certain retailers, leading to a significant drop in trust towards the establishments. Yesterday (August 3rd), a surveillance video from a WeChat group on Eighth Avenue went viral, warning “friends in the group to be cautious,” revealing the process of thieves installing skimming devices at a Chinese supermarket on the island, allowing the public to clearly witness for the first time the swift actions of the criminals in just a few seconds.
The video, approximately over 4 minutes long, showed two white men appearing at the cashier. One man in blue asked the cashier for a large red shopping bag and placed it in front of the card reader to obstruct the cashier’s view. Seizing the opportunity, he took a device from his pocket, swiftly attached it to the card reader, and firmly pressed it with both hands, all in a matter of seconds.
Next, the man in black exchanged roles with the man in blue. The man in blue opened the red shopping bag and started putting items from the counter into the bag one by one. Meanwhile, the man in black approached the card reader, seemingly using tape to secure the skimming device that was previously installed to ensure it stayed in place.
However, during their next attempts to swipe cards, the machine suddenly stopped working, possibly because the device was not properly attached. The cashier then took the card reader down to inspect it, revealing the skimming device that was installed. The two men realized the situation was turning against them, immediately abandoned the transaction, and hastily left, leaving behind two bags full of unpaid merchandise.
In fact, on January 9th of this year, the New York City police detailed similar fraud tactics at a Bensonhurst Chinatown Association meeting and taught businesses how to identify suspicious devices and prevention measures. Detective James Lilla, in charge of financial crimes, pointed out that this type of crime pattern is usually carried out by a team of two to three individuals. One distracts the cashier, such as by asking questions or purchasing large items like a big roll of toilet paper to block the view, while the second person observes the surroundings, and the third person swiftly installs the skimming device onto the card reader, all within a few seconds.
Lilla explained that these skimming devices can read and store all the information on a card’s magnetic strip and transmit the data to the thief’s phone via Bluetooth. Although the data transmission needs to be done in close proximity to the device, its battery life can last up to 14 days. During this period, the thief can sneak in daily to collect data, return to remove the device once the battery is drained, and possibly come back later to retrieve it.
So, how can one prevent such fraud? Lilla suggested that businesses should regularly check their card readers and place discreet markings like stickers or small dots on the machines for cashiers to identify if they have been tampered with or replaced. Customers should be alert for any abnormal seams, looseness, or unevenness on card readers, as these could be signs of a skimming device being installed.
Additionally, Lilla added that the devices used by thieves are usually detachable and often secured with double-sided tape for easy retrieval after 14 days. So, if customers lightly tug or shake the card reader, they may notice signs of tampering. Some advanced devices even come with a PIN-covering keypad and a mini pinhole camera specifically designed to capture password information.
Whether it’s using EBT cards at supermarkets or withdrawing cash from bank ATMs, the methods used by thieves are somewhat similar. Lilla reminds the public and businesses to pay attention to the following points:
1. Check whether card reader devices are loose or have unusual structures. If anything seems suspicious, avoid using them and opt for other terminals or report to a store employee.
2. Shield your PIN entry. When entering your PIN, use your hand to shield it from being recorded, and consider changing your password regularly.
3. Businesses should establish internal prevention mechanisms, regularly inspect the appearance of card readers and hidden markings, and train employees to be vigilant.