SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A money crime on the rise in California is hurting families in need along with taxpayers: EBT theft.
EBT stands for Electronic Benefits Transfer. It's how low-income Californians enrolled in CalFresh and/or CalWORKs get their monthly stipend.
Numbers from the California Department of Social Services ABC10 obtained Tuesday show more and more thieves are finding ways to steal from people's accounts.
One way is through skimming. It's where someone quickly installs a device in an existing card reader that steals information from the magnetic strip. Some thieves will install tiny cameras on ATMs to capture PIN numbers. Others will use phishing, sending out fraudulent links that look authentic, hoping someone will click on them and be tricked into sharing their information.
The state recommends people using EBT cards frequently change their PIN number, especially right before they expect to receive benefits. California Department of Social Services (CDSS) spokesperson Theresa Mier also recommends people cover their hands when entering PIN information into a card reader.
"If a cardholder suspects they are the victim of theft, call EBT customer service immediately at (877) 328-9677 to report the card as stolen and request a replacement EBT card," Mier said.
So how are we all paying for this?
The state requires each county to reimburse someone if their CalFresh or CalWORKs benefits were stolen through an electronic mode of theft, like skimming.
Guidance from CDSS said counties are supposed to replace electronically stolen benefits eligible for reimbursement within 10 business days.
"Depending on the specific details of each claim, the process can take longer, in which case the client should be notified by the county," Mier told ABC10. "CDSS is working closely with counties and providing technical assistance to help them process reimbursements as efficiently as possible.
So how big of a problem is this?
On Tuesday, the state provided ABC10 data from July 2021 through March 2023. On average, across those 21 months, counties are reimbursing 1.155% of all CalWORKs payments and 0.113% of all CalFresh payments. But when looking month-by-month, the percentage thieves are getting away with is going up.
In March 2023, also the most recent month of data the state provided, thieves took a record-setting 2.772% of all CalWORKs benefits and 0.419% of all CalFresh money.
Altogether between the two programs, thieves have stolen $86,675,839 in around 21 months.
"The California Department of Social Services continues to work with local, state, and federal law enforcement authorities to mitigate the theft of EBT benefits by blocking suspicious transactions, identifying potential perpetrators and locating where skimmers have been placed. Investigations are currently ongoing," said Mier.
ABC10 is continuing this coverage by speaking with victims of EBT theft. Have you had your benefits stolen? Reach out to Alex Bell and the To the Point team at tothepoint@abc10.com.
