EBT cardholders frustrated with thieves; Action 9 investigates what’s being done about the crime

CHARLOTTE — Millions of dollars have been taken from people who need that money the most.

Action 9 has reported on several cases involving thieves using skimming devices and other tactics to steal money off EBT cards, which families in our area rely on to buy their food.

Now, Action 9 investigator Jason Stoogenke is looking into what’s being done to combat this crime.

Debreia Washington says she went to Walmart and tried using her EBT card, but someone must have beaten her to it. She says there was only a few cents left on the card. “It’s crazy that people are able to get away with doing that, like taking that much money from people,” she told Stoogenke.

Washington isn’t alone.

“Literally, I wanted to snap. [I’m not] going to lie. I was so frustrated,” Taurneshia Owens said. “I was mad. I was angry. It was too many emotions at once. I wanted to cry. I wanted to scream.”

The federal government says that in fiscal year 2023, North Carolina reported 2,046 cases of thieves stealing money off EBT cards. In dollars and cents that totals $1,156,802. In South Carolina, there have been 788 cases totaling $382,377.

There are so many examples that at least two North Carolina agencies issued warnings last year.

In late 2022, Congress passed a law requiring each state to create a plan for reimbursing victims of EBT skimming, cloning, and the like. The Feds approved the plans of both Carolinas last year.

According to federal numbers, as of April 8, North Carolina had reimbursed 94% of claims. South Carolina has reimbursed 86%.

If you think someone stole your EBT money between August 26 last year and the end of September coming up, you should submit an affidavit to your county DSS and do it within 30 days of finding out about the crime. You’re supposed to get the money back the next day or if you need a new card, between three and seven business days.

Meanwhile, several U.S. Senators filed a bill to turn EBT cards into chip cards so you wouldn’t have to swipe them. As Stoogenke has reported, swiping is the main way thieves capture the data off cards. The bill would also require states to provide free replacement cards within three days if a card is stolen, cloned, or malfunctioning.

“[There] is nothing that I could do about it so I wasn’t going to be upset,” Washington said. She reported that she’d lost about $400, but says the state only gave her back $46.

Stoogenke asked the state why. For privacy reasons, it wouldn’t say. But Washington says it emailed her an explanation that she was entitled to whichever was less: the amount thieves stole or two months worth of her benefits (which in her case is $23 per month).

So while the government keeps working on its plans, make sure you protect yourself:

- Change your PIN often.

- Keep an eye on your EBT account.

- Do what I always encourage when swiping any credit or debit card: cover the keypad with your hand while you type in your PIN, and if the card reader feels loose or the slot feels too snug there may be a skimming device attached.

- A general rule: freeze your credit. That way, if thieves do steal your information, they can’t do much with it.

To replace a lost or stolen EBT card go to ebtedge.com, use the EBT Edge mobile app, or in North Carolina call the EBT Call Center at 888-622-7328.

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