Authorities, including the US Secret Service and NYPD, are cracking down on organized crime involved in ATM card skimming that steals an estimated $18 billion annually. This criminal activity particularly affects impoverished communities as perpetrators target Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards. The Secret Service launched "Operation Flagship" after recognizing the spike in such theft cases, focusing on more vulnerable populations. Improved collaboration between federal agencies and local law enforcement aims to combat these crimes and protect citizens who depend on public assistance for their livelihoods.
"It's billions of dollars [stolen] annually across the nation, so that jumps off the page by any metric," Secret Service spokesman James Byrne told The Post.
"Unfortunately, they're targeting people who really need the money the most, and that's why this problem is really blowing up in the city," NYPD Detective James Lilla said.
"They're targeting, particularly, for EBT cash benefits," said Lilla, who is assigned to work with the Secret Service.
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