ACTION 13: SNAP benefit recipients targeted by fraudsters who steal cards and identification numbers

Houston, Texas (KTRK) – We have a warning to the 3.4 million Texans who get SNAP benefits each month: Scammers are trying hard to steal them.

“We’re scared. We’re very afraid that it will happen to us again,” said Jackie Traris, who was recently the victim of SNAP benefit theft.

Traris is a single mother of two who lives with her parents. Things are tough now in her family, so SNAP benefits help feed everyone.

But when I tried to use these benefits in November, I got an ugly surprise.

“I went to the store, it was declined. He called the number right away and said my balance was zero. I thought that was crazy, we just got benefits,” Traris said.

The mom got into her online account and learned someone had used her SNAP card number and four-digit PIN at a store in Fort Worth, draining every penny on the card.

The state investigated the fraud, Traras said, but that did not solve the problem.

“She basically told me my benefits wouldn’t be redeemed because the theft wasn’t their fault,” she said.

It turns out she’s not alone when it comes to stealing SNAP benefits, according to Haywood Talkcove, CEO of Lexus’ government division Nexus Risk Solutions.

“What’s happening right now, in Texas and across the country, is that skimmers and phishing attacks are targeting SNAP recipients,” Talkoff said.

He adds that SNAP recipients should never give out their card numbers to people who call on the phone, and should only shop at big box stores due to the potential for fraud from credit card skimmers.

“The one who is most affected is the person who needs to feed his children,” Talkoff said. “It is the person who does not have money to get food.”

He said that upgrading SNAP cards to include a chip reader like standard credit cards could reduce fraud. It’s actually something the federal government is considering in 2023.

Talcove also urged recipients to change their PIN immediately after obtaining their card. This is a move Trares now makes every time she uses her card.

“Someone needs to be in charge. Someone needs to say to people, ‘Hey, this could easily happen to you.'” “I still have my card. Someone got my number and my PIN and wiped me out.”

We’ve asked the state to take a second look at the missing benefits of Trares, but they haven’t been replaced yet.

See related story: A new rule now in effect that would make it easier for immigrants to get access to public benefits

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