02/09/2026

U.S. Secret Service EBT Fraud, Card Skimming Outreach in Mobile, Alabama, Prevents Estimated Loss of $3.1 Million

United States Secret Service

MOBILE, Ala. – The U.S. Secret Service, along with Federal, state and local law enforcement partners concluded a two-day outreach operation on Friday aimed at combatting illegal payment card skimming and Electronic Benefit Transfer fraud.

Law enforcement personnel visited nearly 400 businesses in and around Mobile, Alabama, checking for and removing illegal skimming devices from ATMs, gas pumps and point-of-sale terminals. Ten teams of Secret Service analysts, partnered with local and state agencies, recovered three illegal skimming devices in Chickasaw, Mobile and Spanish Fort during the operation preventing an estimated potential loss to the government of $3.1 million.

They also gave businesses educational materials about Electronic Benefit Transfer fraud and skimming to help them identify the warning signs of illegal skimming devices in their point-of-sale terminals, gas pumps and ATMs.

This outreach operation was conducted by the U.S. Secret Service, along with the Mobile Police Department, Mobile County Sheriff’s Office, Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, Alabama Department of Insurance – State Fire Marshal, Fairhope Police Department and the Alabama Department of Human Resources. Personnel from Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Department of Treasury – Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Department of Agriculture – Office of Inspector General also took part in the operation.