ROANOKE, Va. – Imagine checking out at the store, only to find your Electronic Benefits Transfer, or EBT, card declined—because your benefits were wiped out overnight. This is the reality for some Roanoke residents as a nationwide EBT fraud scam makes its way into the area.
“I feel violated honestly,” Shawn Mitchell, one victim said.
It’s a feeling that no one wants to experience: checking your account, expecting to see your monthly SNAP benefits, only to find a big fat zero.
“Yes, so these are all the transactions that were made on the morning of April first, all of them made within minutes of each other: a $178 purchase, a $195 purchase.”
“How could it happen? How could somebody gain access to my benefits? How was that even possible?”
Shawn Mitchell is one of the victims. He’s a single father of two, now trying to figure out how he’s going to feed his kids.
“I find myself wondering how we are going to get through the month. I’ve already thought about how I’m probably going to go without a few days so I can feed them. But you know, as a parent, that’s just something you have to be mindful of and do,” Mitchell said.
Mitchell says social services gave him a new card, but unfortunately, they couldn’t reimburse his stolen funds. Previously, victims could be reimbursed, but a federal rule change in December means that’s no longer the case. Now, once the money is gone, it’s gone.
With rising concerns over EBT card fraud, the Virginia Department of Social Services is urging SNAP recipients to take extra precautions to protect their benefits. They recommend changing your PIN regularly, never sharing your PIN or card details, and checking the card payment device for any tampering before using your card.
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Roanoke police are still investigating and are not yet sure how the money disappeared. Recently, the Virginia Department of Social Services added a card lock and unlock security feature to their official Connect EBT app for users. This is another way for people to protect their funds by locking their card so that all purchases will be blocked. ConnectEBT Lock/Unlock - Virginia Department of Social Services
The City of Roanoke Benefit Program Manager Lindsey Campbell gave a statement:
The City of Roanoke Department of Social Services is aware of a nationwide EBT skimming/scam that has been happening for several months. While this issue has affected individuals across the country, it has also impacted some residents locally. This has resulted in stolen benefits for some users—some of whom recently noticed their accounts had been depleted after making purchases through certain online retailers.
Initially, local agencies were able to replace stolen benefits; however, as of December 20, 2024, we are no longer permitted to do so due to federal regulations. We understand this is a hardship for many affected individuals, which is why it is more important than ever to take precautions to protect your benefits.
We have always encouraged Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients to take precautions to protect their benefits. We advise EBT users to avoid utilizing third-party applications to manage their accounts and to be cautious when shopping online. The Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS) has introduced a new card lock/unlock security feature to protect SNAP benefits. This feature helps safeguard customers’ EBT cards from skimming and other fraudulent activities that attempt to steal card numbers and PINs. The ConnectEBT app is the only officially licensed app for Virginia SNAP EBT benefits.
Additionally, VDSS has directed local agencies to track instances of fraud and report where fraudulent transactions are occurring. This information could be used to help identify the source of the problem and potential solutions.
For more information or assistance, individuals are encouraged to contact their local Social Services office or visit the Virginia Department of Social Services website.
