A two-day joint operation among federal, state and local law enforcement in the Pittsburgh area this week netted nine illegal card-skimming devices, potentially saving the public more than $9 million in fraud losses, according to authorities.

The U.S. Secret Service, working with Allegheny County Police, Pittsburgh police, the state attorney general, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the state inspector general, visited 272 locations on Monday and Tuesday, examining 883 point-of-sale terminals, 775 gas pumps and 170 ATM terminals.

The officers were looking for skimming devices, which capture credit card and Electronic Benefit Transfer information that can then be encoded on another card with a magnetic strip.

Officials estimate that skimming costs financial institutions and consumers more than $1 billion each year.

“Card skimming is a growing and insidious crime with the potential for far-reaching impacts on victims,” said Pittsburgh police Chief Jason Lando in a news release. “Not only do criminals have the ability to gather personal and financial information once a card is skimmed, but they’re also able to use that information to commit more crimes.”

The operation in the Pittsburgh area is similar to others led by the Secret Service across the country.

Last year, law enforcement personnel removed more than 400 illegal skimming devices, preventing an estimated potential fraud loss of more than $428 million.

With the 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh this week, Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday said his office will be continuing to protect against scams that target consumers.

“Law enforcement is well aware that criminals see large-attendance events — like the NFL Draft in Pittsburgh — as opportunities to steal, defraud, and harm people,” Sunday said in a news release.

The Secret Service offered several tips for consumers to protect themselves:

  • Inspect ATMs and point-of-sale terminals before use. If anything is loose, crooked, damaged or scratched, don’t use it.
  • When possible, use tap-to-pay technology, or debit and credit cards with a chip.
  • When using a debit card at a gas station, run it as a credit card so no PIN has to be entered. If a PIN must reused, shield the PIN entry in the event scammers have installed a tiny pinhole camera to record entries.
  • Use ATMs in well-lit, indoor locations.