Crime
CCTV Star /
Skimmers /
A group of high school teens go to a local eatery in Seattle. When it’s time to pay, several teens give their debit cards to the waiter. They pay and leave. Forty minutes later, a charge from Chihuahua, Mexico shows up on one of the teen’s bank app for $8. Fortunately, there is under $50 in the account. The card is declined many times as the scammer attempts to make large purchases.
According to KIRO, 70% of skimmer fraud happens in 5 states: New York, Pennsylvania, Florida, California, and, yes, Washington. The reason is that these states don’t equip EBT (Electronic Benefits Transfer) cards with smart chip technology, which is more expensive, but more challenging for thieves to clone. Most victims are lower income and access government SNAP benefits via EBT cards at gas stations, convenience stores, and ATMs in crime-prone areas.