The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources is warning recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to stay vigilant against scams.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture and the DHHR have received recent reports of card skimming, phishing, or cloning scams targeting the SNAP using Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card fraud and stolen benefits.
Janie Cole, the DHHR’s Commissioner for the Bureau of Family Assistance, said SNAP benefit theft victimizes low-income individuals who rely on those benefits to care for their families.
“Card skimming can happen to anyone who uses a credit, debit, or EBT card, including SNAP participants,” Cole said. “SNAP benefit theft victimizes low-income individuals who rely on these benefits to feed their families, and it will not be tolerated.”
Theft of SNAP benefits is punishable by federal and state law and can include imprisonment and financial penalties. If a recipient of SNAP benefits is convicted of benefit theft, penalties may include being banned from participating in the SNAP program.
DHHR can replace stolen EBT benefits lost due to card skimming, cloning, or phishing, retroactively to October 1, 2022, and through September 30, 2024.
West Virginia residents who receive SNAP benefits and believe benefits have been stolen, should contact their local DHHR office or contact the DHHR Customer Service Center at 1-877-716-1212 to file a claim.