🤦🏻‍♂️ Sometimes systems built to empower can be weaponized without the most basic controls. NYC’s Summer Youth Employment Program used prepaid debit cards for participants without bank accounts. Unfortunately a bug—or control gap—let scammers withdraw up to $40,000 from ATMs over 3 days. It became a social media-fueled fraud machine that drained around $17 million. The response from the city stressed that no taxpayer funds were lost (yea right) but questions remain about oversight, vendor responsibility, and protections for vulnerable youth.

TL;DR
⚠️ Unlimited ATM withdrawals from SYEP cards
🧠 Cards sold online as “easy money”
🔐 Transaction caps failed despite $200 limits
🔍 Who covers $17M loss, and why no safeguards?

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/24/nyregion/nyc-atm-scam.html
#YouthJobs #ATMfraud #CardSecurity #PublicProgramIntegrity #security #privacy #cloud #infosec #cybersecurity