Reports from Sacramento, California suggest increasing rates of EBT card (Electronic Benefits Transfer card) theft resulting in victims losing vital food and cash assistance funds. Victims have shared experiences of having their cards declined with zero balances left due to their funds being stolen. Significantly, these thefts are causing widespread financial impact as the stolen money, which is reimbursed from taxpayers’ funds, very rarely gets recouped. Investigator Janna Haynes emphasized the devastating effect of these thefts, not just upon the individuals directly affected, but also on the larger community as tax money gets drained from the general fund.

Kevin, a jobless father of two, narrates how his EBT card benefits were stolen and subsequently reimbursed several times. Kevin received three replacement cards in a single year due to recurrent thefts. These actions of theft are reportedly carried out through scams and skimming strategies. Whilst scams involve fraudulent activities seeking sensitive information from individuals, skimming utilizes devices capable of stealing cardholder’s information at various points like grocery stores, gas stations, or banks.

Investigations link these thefts to organized crime rings operating throughout the state. Despite the severity of the problem, county fraud departments face numerous challenges as they have no centralized resource like a database to track crime trends or reports at the national level. Even though there has been a proposal for the state to adopt the use of chip cards, as they’re believed to be more secure, implementing this technology is a challenge considering that no states currently issue EBT cards with chips.

In response to the ongoing EBT fraud, the California Department of Social Services has launched a new mobile app called ebtEdge. This app allows cardholders to freeze their EBT cards, change PINs, and block out-of-state transactions. Further, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden and other lawmakers have introduced a bipartisan bill set to direct the United States Department of Agriculture to provide funding to support states in transitioning to new EBT cards with chip technology. Irrespective of these measures, investigators still advocate for a two-step authentication process as a better measure of securing these accounts.

If you’ve been a victim of EBT card theft and need assistance with the reimbursement process, check out eddcaller.com, as they provide relevant information on how to contact EBT customer service. Through the website, you’ll also be able to find resources to help guide you on how to get ahold of EBT’s customer service or how to reach an agent at EBT. This could be the fastest way to get through to EBT and resolve your problem.