Secret Service prevents $5.2M in card skimming operation in Sacramento, Napa counties
The U.S. Secret Service, along with multiple law enforcement partners, conducted an electronic benefit transfer fraud and payment card skimming outreach operation late last month, preventing an estimated $5.2 million in potential losses in Sacramento and Napa counties.
Secret Service officials said more than 3,000 point-of-sale terminals, gas pumps and ATMs were inspected during the operation between April 27 and 29.
The operation included the U.S. Secret Service, Napa County Sheriff’s Department, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General.
In 2025, law enforcement personnel removed more than 400 illegal skimming devices during similar operations, according to U.S. Secret Service officials, preventing an estimated $428 million in fraud losses.
Secret Service officials said scammers use skimming technology to capture card information from EBT cards and encode that data onto another card with a magnetic strip. The devices are often found on ATMs, gas pumps and merchant point-of-sale terminals.
Ryan Cole, agent in charge of the Secret Service’s Sacramento Resident Office, said illegal card skimming has direct impacts on local communities.
“The goal of this operation was to find and remove skimming devices before card numbers can fall into the hands of criminals,” he said. “I’m thankful for our partners for their participation in this operation.”
Shawn Dionida, special agent in charge at the USDA’s Office of Inspector General, said the agency is dedicated to protecting the Electronic Benefit Transfer system for Americans.
“We appreciate the close coordination with the U.S. Secret Service, HHS OIG, and all of our other partners on this joint effort to combat skimming operations and associated EBT fraud in Northern California,” he said. “We will continue to work diligently with our partner agencies to help businesses identify potential fraud and ensure EBT cards are used only by those who qualify for and rely on these benefits to survive.”
Teams also distributed educational materials about EBT fraud and skimming to businesses to help them identify warning signs of illegal devices.
Robb R. Breeden, special agent in charge at the Department of Health and Human Services, said card skimmers do more than just defraud taxpayers.
“When card-skimming schemes prey on TANF recipients, they do more than defraud taxpayers— they rob stability from households that depend on these benefits,” he said. “Working with our federal, state, and local partners, we are aggressively targeting the criminals behind these schemes — and we want skimmers to know: if you exploit vulnerable families, we will find you and we will stop you.”
Secret Service officials estimate skimming costs financial institutions and consumers more than $1 billion each year.
