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WALMART shoppers have been warned to check their bank accounts after one customer instantly lost $400 after using self-checkout.
Several shoppers were hit hard by the nearly invisible info-stealing device uncovered at a Walmart in Virginia.
The heartless scheme was uncovered after Tammy filled her cart with about $400 worth of groceries and headed to checkout at a location in Lynchburg, about two hours west of Richmond.
She thought she had enough money in her EBT to pay for the haul, but after scanning her card at the register, she was shocked to find only 24 cents left on her balance, reported CBS local affiliate WDBJ.
“I had about $400 in groceries, and suddenly my food stamp card was almost empty,” said Tammy.
“By 2:33 a.m. they started stealing my food stamps and until 2:38 a.m. my whole total was gone.”
Police traced Tammy’s issue back to skimmers installed on card readers at stores throughout the area.
According to cops, these razor-thin devices can instantly capture sensitive information from unsuspecting shoppers.
“These devices are super easy unfortunately to install,” said Katie Jennings, a Crime Prevention Specialist with the Lynchburg Police Department.
“They slip right over the payment terminals. You can find them at gas terminals, or self-checkouts, or even at the checkout where there is a cashier.”
Tammy is one of several outraged customers who reported watching cash instantly drain from their EBT.
According to the customer, EBT can’t reimburse her, leaving her wishing there were better protections for food stamp recipients.
Authorities have arrested and charged one suspect linked to the crime – Florin Doroiman, a Romanian national.
“Our partners at Walmart have great cameras that not only lead us to a suspect but also to the suspect’s vehicle,” said Jennings.
Police continue their investigation as they warn shoppers to remain vigilant.
“I would definitely like to see if they could put chips on these cards. Food stamp cards only have the back strip that’s it,” said Tammy.
What is a skimmer device?
A skimmer device is a fraud tool designed to steal sensitive information from credit or debit cards during transactions.
- Imagine a skimmer device as a sneaky thief that hides on ATMs or card machines.
- Its job is to secretly steal your credit or debit card information when you use it for a transaction.
- These devices are like tiny spies that can copy your card details, including the card number and PIN, without you even realizing it.
- Skimmers can be cleverly disguised to look just like the regular card reader, making them hard to spot.
- Once they have your information, bad guys can use it to make fake cards or buy things without your permission, causing a lot of trouble and stress.
- It’s important to always be cautious and check for anything unusual on card machines before using them to protect yourself from these sneaky devices.
RISE IN CARD THEFT
Earlier in March, Gastonia police in North Carolina found a device at Walmart was stealing card details in real-time, passing them straight to scammers.
Card skimmers are used to read card numbers and PINs, making it easy for thieves to drain bank accounts.
This card-swiping gadget was one of five devices found at different stores in the same area.
Since at least 2021, EBT card data has been a prime target for criminal groups using card skimming and other tactics.
EBT and other public-benefit cards are major targets because they are mostly not equipped with chip technology.
According to the FBI, point-of-sale skimming devices, such as those capturing EBT card data, are generally designed as overlays to the POS terminal and have wireless transmission capabilities.
These may be present in any market, convenience store, or retailer.
