In recent days, the issue of electronic benefit transfer (EBT) card fraud in the Chinese community has resurfaced. On September 13th, staff at a Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) community department in Flushing reported receiving over 20 calls that morning regarding Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits being fraudulently used. The federal two-year compensation program for stolen SNAP benefits is set to expire on September 30th, with Councilwoman Huang Min-yi warning that stolen benefits after October may not be reimbursed.
Mrs. Bao, a resident of Flushing, shared her experience with our news outlet on September 13th. She normally receives $291 in benefits deposited into her EBT card each month. At the end of last month, she exhausted the funds on her card and expected the new deposit on September 9th. However, when she tried to use her card at a Flushing supermarket at 11 a.m. that day, it was declined as there was no money in her account.
Surprisingly, her friend, who also received the benefit on the same day, had already used her funds at 11 a.m. Mrs. Bao presumed her deposit was delayed and attempted to use her card at another store a couple of hours later, only to face a similar rejection due to insufficient funds.
Upon checking online, she discovered that the $291 was deposited into her account at midnight but was depleted before 6 a.m. on the same day in three transactions within three minutes at 5:52 a.m., 5:53 a.m., and 5:54 a.m. The theft occurred at the 777 Food Corp Market on 530 Blake Avenue in Brooklyn.
Seeking assistance, she visited the local WIC office in Flushing, where she was informed by staff that they had received over 20 similar reports of benefit fraud that morning.
Mrs. Bao encountered a gentleman from Fujian who reported a similar incident of funds being stolen from his EBT card, although the unauthorized transactions took place thousands of miles away in Ohio. He expressed bewilderment, saying, “How could my card be used in Ohio when it’s with me?” They were advised to go online and follow the steps to report and address the issue themselves due to overwhelmed staff at the office.
Analysis by Huang Meizhen, the deputy chief of staff at Councilwoman Zhuang Wenyi’s office, suggests that the leakage of information from the New York City Human Resources Administration (HRA) database may have enabled thieves to access user data and exploit the timing of fund deposits before users wake up to drain the accounts.
Meizhen highlighted the “Protect My Account” feature on the EBT website that allows users to block online and out-of-state transactions but requires proactive setup, which many users may not be aware of or know how to activate.
To activate the feature, users should visit the official website www.ebtedge.com, log in to the Cardholder Portal, select “Protect My Account,” turn on the options for “Block Internet Transactions” and “Block Out of State Transactions,” and save the settings.
Councilwoman Huang Min-yi’s office has seen a rise in complaints of stolen EBT card funds this month. Although they assist victims in seeking compensation, the federal program providing reimbursement for stolen benefits is set to expire on September 30th. Until a new compensation plan is approved, those affected by theft may not receive reimbursement.
The 2023 federal spending bill, as part of the omnibus appropriations bill, offers two years of benefit reimbursement for those whose SNAP benefits were stolen on or after October 1, 2022.
Huang Min-yi noted that without the passage of the proposed extension for compensating stolen benefits post-expiration of the current program, victims whose benefits are stolen next month (October) may temporarily be unable to recover their losses. She urged caution in using EBT cards and recommended patronizing trusted retailers as much as possible.