Solutions for Rockland County Victims of EBT Funding Theft

With SNAP EBT (food stamps) thefts on the rise, as reported recently by Rockland Daily here, Rockland County SNAP scam victims are often unsure of where to turn to attempt to recoup losses and prevent becoming victims of the same crime the following month. 

Rabbi Hersh Horowitz, Executive Director of the Community Outreach Council (COC) in Monsey, shares guidance on what SNAP recipients can do if they notice their funds have been drained.

When do EBT recipients commonly notice something is wrong?

Usually, EBT recipients notice something is wrong when they are out shopping and try to pay for their groceries with their EBT card but are told that their benefits have already been used up even though they know they haven't touched them.

 Can a scam victim do anything once funds have already been drained from their account?

Victims of SNAP theft can call the EBT Customer Service hotline at 1-888-328-6399 or make an appointment with a caseworker at the Community Outreach Center so a caseworker can walk you through the process at no charge. 

If you're a victim, don't delay reporting the theft because you want to make sure the same thing doesn't happen the next month Also, the sooner you report the loss, the sooner you will be able to get back the stolen funds, hopefully.

How can EBT recipients protect their funds from being stolen? 

What's actually the most important suggestion we offer, given our experience at COC, is never to leave an EBT account on record with grocery stores. We have been able to trace back numerous SNAP thefts to one common denominator: that their EBT number was saved at the same grocery store where a worker stole their EBT funds. So, we strongly encourage cardholders to remove their numbers from the database at local groceries.  

It's important to change the card pins frequently to prevent fraud. 

EBT recipients should become familiar with the card reader's appearance to recognize if it seems wrong and know not to swipe the card there.

EBT cardholders should also call the number on the back of their card frequently to check on recent charges and listen for unfamiliar charges.