Detectives with the Minden Police Department discovered a skimmer on a credit card machine at Southern Market, formerly known as Sav-A-Lot, on April 2. The skimmer’s memory card had already been removed, indicating that criminals had accessed the stolen data.
Approximately 1,200 people in the area have reported having all their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits stolen due to the skimmer. Many Minden families may face food shortages this month as a result.
“This puts a lot of our citizens in a huge bind this month, because there is no money to replace that money,” said Detective Lt. Jason Smith. Most reported losses range from $200 to $400.
“There are some people and some kids who might be going hungry this month because they don’t have their SNAP benefits,” Smith added.
The number of credit or debit card transactions processed through the skimmer remains unknown. Authorities urge anyone who used a card at Southern Market in the past few months to monitor their credit reports and check with their banks.
“These people will sometimes wait a month before selling the card information,” Smith said. “It might be a month or two before they offload those card numbers.”
Police suspect the criminals are traveling along Interstate 20, placing skimmers and retrieving data from previously installed devices. A similar skimmer was found at a grocery store in Ouachita Parish. Authorities believe the criminals are avoiding larger chain stores like Walmart, which typically have stronger security measures, including facial recognition technology. Officers inspected other grocery stores in Minden but did not find additional skimmers.
“They’re sticking to these small mom-and-pop businesses,” Smith said.
Grocery stores, big-box retailers, and gas stations are common targets for skimmers, which can be purchased on the dark web to match existing machines.
The issue came to light when residents contacted the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) about missing funds in their SNAP accounts. A DCFS representative alerted police, prompting an investigation.
Authorities are investigating whether the crime is linked to recent arrests in Jackson, Mississippi, for similar offenses.
The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with information is urged to contact the Minden Police Department.