Portland SNAP Fraud Watch: Agents Audit 238 Stores

Special agents from the U.S. Secret Service inspected 238 businesses in Portland this week that accept Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits. The agency conducted the sweeps as part of Joint Operation Pacific Northwest. Their goal was to warn store staff about fraud schemes that target government benefit recipients.

During the operation, agents checked 377 point-of-sale terminals, 156 ATMs, and 375 gas pumps. They did not find any active card skimmers during these inspections. Officials still considered the effort a success because they reached a large number of business owners and managers. The agency aims to prevent theft before it happens by teaching staff what to look for.

Michael Peck, the assistant special agent in charge of the operation, described the threat as an epidemic. He said organized crime groups specifically target these programs because they know the cards hold cash value. "Sadly, we are facing an epidemic across our country and in our partner countries to where transactional organized crime groups are coming in specifically to steal from benefit recipients," Peck said. He added that criminals know these programs have cash and want to target them.

The Secret Service notes that EBT cards are easier to skim because they function as debit cards without built-in chips. Any card inserted into a terminal is at risk. Financial analyst Vincent Porter explained that criminals can quickly attach a camera or skimming device to a card reader. They then steal the data to sell on the dark web or cash out themselves.

Peck said he has seen victims lose money for months at a time. He recalled hearing from people who went to the grocery store the day before Thanksgiving and could not buy a meal for their family. "We’ve seen victims lose their money months after months after months," Peck said. "It is absolutely crushing."

Mira Metelman, a SNAP recipient, expressed concern about the process. "It makes me nervous.. it would be really not great if I was just trying to buy food and I realize I have no money in my snap card," she said. The agency removed more than 400 skimming devices since 2024 in similar operations.

Officials advise customers to look for glue, sticker residue, or plastic that looks out of place on payment terminals. They recommend using tap to pay when possible. If a customer finds a device, they should alert the store so it can call the police.

The operation focused on educating the 238 targeted retailers. The agency will continue to monitor payment systems for signs of tampering.