
On August 24 Governor Tom Wolf’s administration, in conjunction with the Pennsylvania Attorney General, State Police, Department of Banking and Securities, and the Department of Agriculture, announced a new campaign against the use of card skimmers used to steal credit or debit card information. The announcement was made during a demonstration on how the devices operate, and will focus on spreading awareness and prevention methods to businesses, consumers, law enforcement officers, and gas pump inspectors. The agencies will also be working together to develop a database of known incidents in order to better understand how and where criminals are utilizing skimming devices.
Additionally, legislation addressing the use and possession of skimming devices was circulated this week by state Representative Kristin Hill. The bill would make “the use of a ‘scanning’ or ‘skimming’ device to obtain or store information... of a credit or debit card; the use of a “re-encoder” [to copy cards without permission]... and the possession or sale of a ‘skimming’ device” a third degree felony in Pennsylvania. A second offense would constitute a felony of the second degree.
PFMA has supported similar bills in previous legislative sessions. Please let us know if you would like the Association to support this proposal to address credit card fraud through the use of skimming devices, and push for the bill’s passage.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to us. We will continue to keep members updated, and will provide you with a copy of the bill once it has been formally introduced.
Additionally, legislation addressing the use and possession of skimming devices was circulated this week by state Representative Kristin Hill. The bill would make “the use of a ‘scanning’ or ‘skimming’ device to obtain or store information... of a credit or debit card; the use of a “re-encoder” [to copy cards without permission]... and the possession or sale of a ‘skimming’ device” a third degree felony in Pennsylvania. A second offense would constitute a felony of the second degree.
PFMA has supported similar bills in previous legislative sessions. Please let us know if you would like the Association to support this proposal to address credit card fraud through the use of skimming devices, and push for the bill’s passage.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to us. We will continue to keep members updated, and will provide you with a copy of the bill once it has been formally introduced.