EBT fraud hitting Wayne County population
In an age where social assistance programs play a critical role in supporting vulnerable populations, the rise of electronic benefits transfer fraud poses significant challenges to the communities that rely on them.
EBT is a lifeline for millions of Americans, providing support to families and individuals in need. This digital payment system simplifies the distribution of government assistance programs including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. With EBT cards beneficiaries can access their benefits conveniently and discreetly, ensuring they can easily purchase necessary food items and meet other basic needs.
As beneficial as these programs are in helping to alleviate the burden of food insecurity and financial strain, they face fraud and abuse.
“We have fielded about three dozen complaints from clients that their balance is lower than expected or that it was zeroed out,” Wayne County Job & Family Services Director Richard Owens said. “Someone will get access to the card, and they will make an inquiry on the card until the benefit loads on the card, and when it does, they will use the balance, and the client doesn’t get that benefit.”
Currently, the two preferred methods of fraud to acquire EBT account information and personal identification numbers are as follows:
—Skimming: using an electronic device to steal card information from a card reader.
—Cloning: creating a fake card to swipe at a point-of-sale device to steal money or benefits.
According to JFS benefit recovery supervisor Sherry Vitallo, the criminals who steal EBT card numbers typically exploit them by selling the information on the dark web. Others then use these stolen benefits to make unauthorized purchases, often far from the original recipient’s location.
“This underground market thrives on anonymity, making it difficult for authorities to track,” she said. “The results are a double loss: The rightful beneficiaries are deprived of their essential resources, and public funds meant to assist those in need are diverted for illicit purposes.”
The theft of EBT card numbers is not just a financial crime; it directly impacts the community’s most vulnerable members who rely on these benefits for their basic needs.
“When someone’s EBT benefits are stolen, it means they may go without food until the issue is resolved,” Vitallo said. “This kind of fraud exacerbates financial and food insecurity and can lead to a cycle of hardship for those already struggling to make ends meet.”
While fraud incidents are increasing, clients can protect their benefits by changing their PIN often. One of the easiest ways to secure benefits is to download the Ohio JFS official mobile app, ConnectEBT.
The app has a new lock and unlock feature that users turn on and off at the time of purchase. When locked, the card cannot be used. When a purchase is made, the user unlocks the card to authorize the purchase and locks the app when done.
For more information about JFS and its services, visit www.waynecountydjfs.com.
Dan Starcher is the public communications coordinator for Wayne County.
