Thieves are stealing food-stamp money with fake card readers, a growing threat for SNAP families already stretched by Hurricane Lala.

• The Secret Service is cracking down on "skimming" — fake readers slipped over payment terminals that copy your card and PIN.
• Surveillance footage shows a skimmer installed in under two seconds, and one device can drain up to $1 million.
• Protect yourself: look for loose or crooked readers, tug gently on them, cover the keypad, check your balance often, and tap instead of swiping.
• Hawaii storm relief is also open: SNAP users who lost food to outages or flooding can claim replacement benefits through September 3rd.
• Governor Josh Green waived tax penalties and interest for people hit by the storm through October 20th.

Outlook: Expect more skimming warnings as scammers target disaster relief money, so check your EBT balance regularly in the weeks ahead.