By Ella Alberts
OMAHA, Neb. — Omaha police and banking industry professionals are warning financial institutions about ATM “jackpotting” attacks, a method of theft that allows criminals to force machines to dispense large amounts of cash.
Jackpotting allows criminals to essentially clear through bank accounts in a matter of seconds, directly impacting the banking facility.
While the tactic has been documented nationally for several years, local technicians and law enforcement say incidents and concerns have increased in the Omaha metro as criminals adopt more sophisticated methods.
As of February 2026, according to The United States Attorney’s Office in the District of Nebraska, “In the past six months, the Justice Department has secured charges against a total of 93 TdA members and leaders with a range of federal offenses.”
Jackpotting involves accessing an ATM’s internal computer system, often by opening the machine or connecting external devices, and installing malware that overrides security controls.
Noah Schultz, an ATM software technician who services machines in the Omaha area, said technicians are often the first to assess compromised machines before federal investigators take over.
“We would give them a brief overview of what we see and what the criminals might have been doing,” Schultz said. “After that, it’s a matter of turning everything over to the FBI, letting them continue their investigation, and then we replace equipment, reload the software and get it working again.”
According to Schultz, recent cases show a shift away from physical break-ins toward software-based attacks, which can be harder to detect and prevent.
Damon Grimes, an ATM sales and security specialist who works with regional banks and credit unions, said financial institutions are responding by investing in stronger protections.
“We talk to banks about ways to deter attacks and protect their investment,” Grimes said. “There are software solutions we can use to lock systems down so that even if criminals get into the machine, they can’t install malicious programs.”
Grimes said the issue is especially important for local banks because ATM disruptions can affect customer access to cash and create costly repairs.
Law enforcement officials, along with industry professionals, emphasize that staying ahead of evolving technology is key to preventing future attacks. Both technicians and security specialists say regular software updates and physical security checks are critical for reducing vulnerabilities.
As jackpotting techniques continue to evolve, Omaha-area banks and ATM operators are being urged to remain vigilant and proactive in protecting their systems.
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