Rising sophistication of card-skimming devices poses new threat to consumers.

Cybercriminals are using more sophisticated card-skimming devices to target new victims, including those who rely on Federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance (SNAP) funds. The lack of enhanced security measures on EBT cards, which rely solely on magnetic stripes, makes them vulnerable to skimming attacks. Criminal enterprises have been selling stolen card information on the dark web to the highest bidder, including dangerous international crime syndicates. The USDA is urged to implement chip-enabled cards and front-end identity verification to prevent fraud and protect taxpayers.