SNAP Issues Scam Warnings

(OurNationNews.com) SNAP beneficiaries are getting scammed out of their nutrition benefits from criminals that use phishing and skimming tactics. SNAP provides supplementary assistance to low-income people to help them pay for food and groceries. States around the country have reported increases in scams that harm SNAP beneficiaries at the expense of the taxpayers.

Phishing schemes start by sending SNAP users text messages or emails asking for information. The communication asks users to go to a website that looks similar to the real SNAP benefits page and asks them to update their information. The scammers then have access to the account information to sell counterfeit SNAP EBT cards for profit.

Another common method that scammers use is attaching skimming devices to credit and debit card machines. This allows criminals to obtain card numbers and personal information in order to use the funds without having possession of the original card. Skimming can be used to obtain any type of credit, debit, or EBT card. It is SNAP beneficiaries that are significantly harmed because they need those funds to buy food for their families.

Over 59,000 U.S. households have been impacted by fraudulent use of their SNAP benefits. The total value of the benefits exceeds $30 million that comes from the taxpayer budget for the USDA. One of the largest networks of food stamp fraud occurred in Detroit with 8,000 SNAP users being scammed out of $4 million in benefits.

While typical credit cards can be skimmed, they have a microchip as an extra protective mechanism. SNAP EBT cards do not contain a microchip, so they are more vulnerable to being skimmed.

Illinois has issued a warning to residents receiving SNAP benefits and provides some suggestions to prevent the fraudulent theft of those funds. They suggest that SNAP users freeze and unfreeze the card each time they use their benefits. Another suggestion is to change the pin number frequently and to not give the details to anybody else. They also suggest using the SNAP benefits app or the Illinois Link Card website to block out of state transactions.