Secret Service agents just delivered a crushing blow to transnational crime rings targeting American families, seizing 16 skimming devices and preventing $16.7 million in theft.
Story Highlights
- Operation Mousetrap inspected 853 businesses and 7,340+ terminals in just two days across central Florida
- 16 illegal skimming devices seized, preventing estimated $16.7 million in fraud losses to Orlando-area consumers
- Secret Service targets transnational organized crime groups exploiting tourist regions and vulnerable EBT recipients
- Multi-agency operation demonstrates Trump administration’s commitment to protecting Americans from foreign criminals
Massive Multi-Agency Sweep Targets Criminal Networks
The U.S. Secret Service executed Operation Mousetrap on December 2-3, 2025, coordinating with multiple central Florida law enforcement agencies and the Florida Department of Agriculture. Teams systematically inspected 853 businesses across Osceola, Orange, and Seminole counties, examining over 7,340 point-of-sale terminals, gas pumps, and ATMs. The operation represents the kind of aggressive, coordinated enforcement that Americans expect from federal agencies protecting their financial security.
Special Agent in Charge Caroline O’Brien-Buster described EBT fraud as an “epidemic around the country” that devastates victimized families. The operation also included educational outreach, with agents distributing materials to help businesses identify skimming devices and EBT fraud schemes. This comprehensive approach addresses both immediate threats and long-term prevention through community awareness.
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYNeDODCLfs
Foreign Crime Groups Target American Tourism Centers
Assistant Special Agent in Charge Michael Peck revealed that targets are “mostly transnational organized crime groups” who travel throughout the United States. These sophisticated criminals deliberately exploit high-traffic tourist regions like Orlando, where transaction volumes are massive and out-of-town visitors are less likely to quickly detect anomalies. The Secret Service estimates skimming costs financial institutions and consumers over $1 billion annually nationwide.
The criminals use advanced techniques, attaching hidden devices to ATMs, gas pumps, and payment terminals to capture card data and PINs for account cloning. Orlando’s status as a major tourist destination makes it particularly attractive to these mobile criminal networks seeking maximum profit from their illegal operations.
Protecting Vulnerable Americans From Financial Predators
Operation Mousetrap specifically targeted EBT fraud, recognizing that low-income families face devastating consequences when benefits are stolen.
Operation Mousetrap stopped an estimated $16.7 million in losses to Orlando-area consumers. Our agents and law enforcement partners inspected payment terminals and helped local businesses spot skimmers and EBT fraud.
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— U.S. Secret Service (@SecretService) December 4, 2025
Unlike traditional credit card fraud, EBT theft can immediately threaten food security for vulnerable children and families who depend on these assistance programs. The operation’s focus on protecting these Americans demonstrates genuine concern for those most harmed by criminal exploitation.
O’Brien-Buster emphasized that these operations allow investigators to “connect different individuals to these crimes,” indicating that device seizures serve as gateways to dismantling larger criminal networks. The Secret Service noted this effort follows similar operations nationwide, suggesting an ongoing campaign against organized skimming rings rather than isolated enforcement actions.
Sources:
U.S. Secret Service Seized 16 Illegal Skimmers, Stopped $16M in Fraud
