The situation took a dire turn when over $700 vanished from her account within five minutes, leaving her family of five in a precarious situation.
In a distressing incident highlighting vulnerabilities in the Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) system, Penny Privitera found herself grappling with an empty SNAP benefits card
The incident occurred on December 1, with seven unauthorized transactions taking place at three different stores in New York and Kentucky between midnight and 3:48 a.m. Privitera suspects that her Electronic Benefits Transfer card information was stolen through skimming, a common method according to Dr. Steve Beaty, a cybersecurity expert and professor of computer science at MSU Denver.
Skimming involves placing a device, known as a card skimmer, on top of a regular mag card reader. The skimmer captures card information, which is then downloaded via a Bluetooth connection. Beaty explained that scammers utilize this information to clone Electronic Benefits Transfer cards, credit cards, and debit cards. The stolen credentials are often sold on the dark web, contributing to the surge in fraud cases.
Denver Human Services is currently investigating Privitera’s case, but due to a recent increase in fraud incidents, the agency mentioned that it might take up to six weeks to complete the investigation. If approved, the reinstatement of benefits could take an additional couple of weeks, potentially delaying any recovery of the lost funds until February.
Authorities urge Electronic Benefits Transfer cardholders who suspect fraud or electronic theft to contact their local human services office promptly
The affected individuals are advised to fill out the Electronic Benefits Transfer stolen-benefits form, available in English and Spanish, and submit it to their local county human services office to request the replacement of stolen benefits.
As cases of Electronic Benefits Transfer card scams continue to rise, this incident sheds light on the need for heightened security measures to protect vulnerable individuals and families who rely on electronic benefit transfer systems for their essential needs.