JACKSON — Today, Attorney General Lynn Fitch announced the conclusion of a statewide operation to help businesses and consumers identify and report credit card skimmers used to steal personal information. During Operation S.A.F.E. (Skimmer and Fraud Enforcement), which ran from November 6 through November 20, more than 900 businesses were inspected and nearly 6,000 point-of-sale terminals were examined.
“Scammers are always finding new ways to steal your sensitive information, including the use of skimmer devices attached to the credit card readers we use in stores every day,” said Attorney General Fitch. “I am grateful to our local, state, and federal partners for their assistance throughout this operation. Through education and awareness, we can stop these criminals from defrauding Mississippians and protect the businesses in our communities.”
Mississippians can guard against skimmer devices by using tap pay or chip-read terminals and avoiding swipe transactions when possible. Consumers should also pay attention to the appearance of card readers, as skimmers often fit over the existing reader, making it look different or larger. Some devices may even pull off if lifted from the corners.
This year, the Attorney General’s Office has recovered 15 skimmers throughout Mississippi, including one during Operation S.A.F.E.
Beginning in October, investigators with the Attorney General’s Cyber Fraud Task Force trained local, state, and federal law enforcement, financial institutions, and retailers to identify skimmers, report them, and properly preserve evidence. During Operation S.A.F.E., investigators worked with 39 federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to inspect terminals and educate businesses on the dangers of card skimming. Participating agencies included:
Bay St. Louis Police Department
Biloxi Police Department
Booneville Police Department
Capitol Police Department
Clinton Police Department
Columbus Police Department
Corinth Police Department
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Florence Police Department
Forrest County Sheriff’s Office
Fulton Police Department
Gulfport Police Department
Hancock County Sheriff’s Office
Harrison County Sheriff’s Office
Horn Lake Police Department
Lucedale Police Department
Lumberton Police Department
Magee Police Department
Marshall County Sheriff’s Office
Mississippi Department of Corrections
Mississippi Department of Human Services – Office of Inspector General
Mississippi Gaming Commission
Neshoba County Sheriff’s Office
New Albany Police Department
Oxford Police Department
Pascagoula Police Department
Pearl River County Sheriff’s Office
Picayune Police Department
Pontotoc Police Department
Rankin County Sheriff’s Office
Reservoir Police Department
Saltillo Police Department
Simpson County Sheriff’s Office
Smith County Sheriff’s Office
Sumrall Police Department
Tupelo Police Department
United States Postal Inspection Service
United States Secret Service
University of Mississippi Police Department
Wiggins Police Department
The Cyber Fraud Task Force also worked with financial institutions such as Amory Federal Savings, Keesler Federal Credit Union, and Veritas Federal Credit Union, as well as major retailers including Kroger, Lowe’s, Walgreens, and Walmart.
Learn more at AttorneyGeneralLynnFitch.com/Cyber-Crime.