'Shouldn't be happening': Scammers stealing SNAP benefits, charges coming from closed store
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The CBS 2 Investigators first exposed a rash of stolen SNAP benefits that happened over the summer, and it turns out, thieves are still at it.
CBS 2's Suzanne Le Mignot reports had the story Wednesday evening that you'll see Only on 2.
When checking their statements, each victim CBS 2 spoke to told us charges came back to a mini mart in Archer Heights. The problem is not only have the victims never been to the store, it has been closed for at least the past seven months.
"This shouldn't be happening," one woman said.
This woman agreed to speak with CBS 2, if we didn't use her name or show her face. She said more than $1,000 was taken from a Link card, the day before Thanksgiving. She learned she couldn't pay for her family's Thanksgiving meal in the checkout line.
"I had all this food on the conveyor belt, and for the guy to tell me I had 71 cents," she said. "I had him check it twice. He even did a third time and there goes my groceries for the Thanksgiving dinner."
Her LINK card statement, showed two charges were made, five minutes apart, at a mini mart in Archer Heights. A charge for $615.33 and another for $456.85.
The woman said she's never even been there and the store wasn't even open at the time. It's not clear how the money was being stolen.
A police source tells CBS 2 they are aware of 30 deceptive practices reports made against the now-shuttered store in just the past few months.
CBS 2 found complaints on the Better Business Bureau website and in online reviews.
The victim told CBS 2 when she went to the Department of Human Services to alert them to the fraud on Dec. 5, she was told: "We've had more than 50 cases just today and she said that's too much. So we finally had to write a letter to Springfield."
DHS told the woman her money could not be refunded. She said she's speaking out because she knows the fraud is impacting Latino and Black communities the most, especially during the holidays.
"I wish DHS would have better protection on those cards, and somehow for us, to recover our funds," she said.
CBS 2 reached out to DHS. It said it's looking into the cases. Chicago police said there is an open investigation into these incidents. No arrests have been made. CBS 2 also reached out to the manager of the business for comment. The store has been closed since June.