LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU)— Several people in Luzerne County are without money for food for the month, after they say their EBT accounts were drained.
And while they were issued new cards, they were not reimbursed for the lost benefits.
People we spoke with say they woke up Thursday morning to their EBT accounts empty of SNAP benefits.
This means that money they would have used for food for their families, is gone until February.
The state says they are aware of the issue, but a change in the law makes it impossible for people to get stolen benefits refunded.
"My food stamps went in at midnight. By 5:19 a.m., they were taken. All of it but one cent, and when I went down to the welfare office, they told me basically that we have to eat it. There's nothing they can do for any of us," explained Amanda Evans of Wilkes-Barre.
Evans, a working mom of five, describes her feelings after her benefits were taken from her account under a transaction name from a store in California.
"The cost of groceries is just astronomical to have to try to figure out how you're gonna get groceries now with what you were getting with food stamps and now you don't have that option," stated Evans.
Evans says she was issued a new card, but the benefits won't be restored until next month.
Another woman we spoke with over the phone says her elderly mother's EBT card was also compromised.
"She relies on this to go get her food for the month. This is terrible," said Lisa Vanderhoff of Wilkes-Barre.
Vanderhoff's mother's account shows a transaction with the name of the same California-based store.
She was also offered a new card, but no benefits.
We reached out to the Department of Human Services who oversees SNAP EBT programs. They issued the following response:
The Department of Human Services (DHS) is aware of skimming incidents targeting snap recipients nationwide, where snap benefits are stolen off EBT cards by skimming at a point-of-sale machine. DHS has already implemented enhanced EBT card pin security to help ensure the benefits DHS administers stay with the Pennsylvanians who need them.
Unfortunately, due to the end of congressional authorization, benefits stolen after December 20, 2024, cannot be reissued. If an individual's benefits are stolen electronically, they should request a replacement EBT card as soon as possible from DHS' EBT contractor, Conduent, at 888-328-7366, or by visiting a DHS county assistance office.
Individuals are encouraged to report any SNAP theft to local law enforcement.
28/22 News has received multiple calls today of people from Luzerne County reporting that their benefits were stolen.
We also reached out to the Office of the Inspector State General who investigates public assistance fraud in Luzerne County, but they said they cannot comment on the status or existence of active investigations or details about tips.
