Secret Service agents bust credit card skimmers at South Florida gas stations, stores — $10.4M in fraud losses stopped. What should you look out for?

During a two-day operation in South Florida, agents visited hundreds of locations and discovered several credit card skimmers, which are small electronic devices that criminals use to steal debit or credit card information at ATMs, point-of-sale terminals and gas pumps.

The operation — which involved 26 teams across local, state, and federal agencies — underscores the financial threat that these discreet skimmers pose to anyone with a bank card.

According to the FBI, skimming costs American consumers and institutions more than $1 billion annually, but a few simple techniques can help keep you (and your cards) safe.

Massive operation produces alarming results

On Day 1 of the operation, Secret Service agents made a disturbing discovery when they found skimmers on two gas pumps at a gas station in Doral.

“We used a Skim Buster to see if there was a skimmer in there and it did point out that there was,” said one of the federal agents, according to Local 10 News. “We took some tweezers out and pulled it out a little and you can see it’s stuck.”

This discovery was just the beginning of a massive sweep across many of South Florida’s gas stations, big box retailers and grocery stores.

The operation yielded alarming results: 10 skimmers were discovered and removed after agents visited nearly 600 businesses, which prevented $10.4 million in potential losses, according to federal agents.

“South Florida has always been the petri dish for white collar crime and new types of crime,” said another one of the federal agents.

What makes these devices particularly dangerous is their stealth, and how quickly criminals can install them. “Just like that,” demonstrated one agent, showing just how quickly criminals can plant these devices.

The seized skimmers will undergo forensic testing, as the operation’s primary objective is to catch the perpetrators, and not just the devices.

What are credit card skimmers and how do they work?

A credit card skimmer is a device attached to a card reader or keypad that’s designed to steal your bank card information. Once in place, these skimmers blend in with the original card reader, making them difficult to spot at first glance.

Skimmers are typically found at ATMs, gas stations and convenience stores, but they can also be found at supermarkets and big box stores such as Walmart, Target or Costco.