Low-income East Bay residents targeted with EBT theft
CONTRA COSTA -- Since July 2021, California has paid out more than $86 million in reimbursements for state benefits stolen from low-income residents receiving EBT cards.
People in the community tell KPIX they have been hearing about and experiencing EBT theft. Two victims are mothers who say thieves took benefits money out of their accounts just hours after the funds were put onto their cards.
One EBT theft victim, Alexis Henry, is a mother of six. She says back on August 1st, was supposed to get nearly $900 in benefits.
"I checked my card and it had $17," said Henry. "I said, 'Wait, that's weird. And it says it was taken out at 6 a.m. at a U.S. Bank, which I normally pull my money out of. I said 'OK, I was sleep at six in the morning. Where is my money?'"
Henry says that month she was in the process of moving into her new apartment and celebrating her daughter's birthday.
"They just took my money," said Henry. "Whoever is doing this is like, wrong. They need to stop," she said. "We are getting money from the government. Clearly we need it."
When she called the county to see what happened to her money, she was given instructions.
"'Oh you are probably a part of a fraud [case]. Can you come in and do your paper work and cancel your card?' I said that's fine," said Henry. "They said come in and cancel the card but I didn't do in time, so my food stamps got taken."
On Aug. 2, records show that $357 worth of food stamps was taken out of her account.
"I got the cash reimbursed, but I am still waiting on food stamps. They say that will take longer to get," said Henry.
She said it took her 28 days to get the cash back.
"It's happening literally everyday. Like, a family member just had it happen to her a few days ago, which is crazy," Henry said.
It wasn't hard for KPIX to find Alisha Ortiz, a mother of two and another EBT theft victim.
"Mine happened about three months ago, I believe in August," Ortiz said. "It was hard. You have to fill out paper work, talk to people and it's not something you can control yourself."
Ortiz said that thankfully, her funds were returned in 24 hours.
"They took $927. And then they took $400 in food stamps, which I get $627," Ortiz said.
KPIX reached out to the California Department of Social Services about the thefts. They confirmed there are currently multiple investigations underway and arrests have been made. They also shared the following statement:
"The department will soon be launching ebtEDGE, a mobile application and online web portal which will allow EBT cardholders to freeze their card when it's not in use, block all online and/or out-of-state transactions, change pins, and request a replacement card directly through the app," according Jason Montiel of the California Department of Social Services' Public Affairs and Outreach Programs.
That program is expected to launch before the end of the year.
The Contra Costa County Department of Social Services wants to remind people if they suspect they are victims of fraud, they can contact the department via their website or by calling an office to report the crime.
Henry says she hopes that the department can move faster with the reimbursement process. She also had a message for the thieves targeting those in need.
"You don't want to send your child to school hungry or have them homeless sleeping in a car," she said. "It's a lot of encampments. Who wants their family in an encampment because someone stealing others people's money?"