Last year, $15.7 million in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits were stolen from people across Pennsylvania, according to state Inspector General Michelle Henry.

In an interview with the Mirror, Henry said skimming has become “a widespread problem” throughout the commonwealth.

According to Henry, it only takes about four seconds for criminals to install skimming devices onto card-swiping machines. They often work in pairs, she said, noting one person distracts the cashier while the other installs the device.

When people who receive nutritional assistance swipe their Electronic Benefit Transfer cards on a machine with a skimming device attached, their account numbers and data are loaded onto the device, Henry said.

Criminals return to the store and appear to be shopping for candy at the end of a counter, but they’re actually downloading the data with their cellphones through a Bluetooth connection, Henry said.

She said they can steal information from about 20 feet away from the device.

They then create fake EBT cards and either make bulk purchases — for things like baby formula or Red Bull energy drinks — to sell items for profit or they sell people’s data outright to other criminals, Henry said.

When people go back to the store to use their SNAP benefits, they run their cards through a reader and discover their balance is empty, Henry said.

“That’s really devastating because there is no reimbursement for this lost money,” she said, noting skimming victims often turn to local food banks and other nonprofit organizations for help.

About 2 million Pennsylvania residents rely on SNAP benefits to make ends meet, Henry said.

Victims of skimming should immediately contact their county assistance office and report it, she said.

“If they have any suspicions whatsoever that something has happened, it’s really important that they take that step,” Henry said, adding there are a number of other steps people can take to prevent theft from occurring.

By downloading the ConnectEBT mobile application, SNAP recipients can lock and unlock their EBT cards to prevent any unauthorized purchases from being made.

They can also change their pin number frequently, Henry said, noting it’s important to have a strong pin number and not share personal information.

It’s also important to be vigilant and look for subtle differences on card-swipping devices before using them, Henry said.

The edges on a skimming device are larger than legitimate card readers, she said, adding skimming devices may not be properly aligned or appear to have “suspicious” stickers on them.

To help store owners, local police departments and the public identify skimming devices, the Pennsylvania Office of State Inspector General created a website with several resources, OSIG.pa.gov/skimming.

One of the resources is a phone number to report skimming to the inspector general’s office, 1-800-932-0582.

The Pennsylvania Office of State Inspector General also has a social media presence across many platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, X and LinkedIn. Henry said she encourages people to reach out to her office if they see any skimming devices.

Her staff is committed to protecting the integrity of public benefits programs by preventing fraud and holding offenders accountable, Henry said.

Henry was appointed as the state’s Inspector General in January after previously serving as the state Attorney General and the Bucks County District Attorney.

In the first quarter of 2025, the inspector general’s office charged 62 people with public assistance fraud and prevented nearly $14.8 million worth of public benefits from being stolen, according to a release.

Mirror Staff Writer Matt Churella is at 814-946-7520.