What happens if your Pennsylvania SNAP benefits were stolen? Here's what you need to know.
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — Thieves are targeting people who rely on food stamps, and the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services is warning people to report any thefts and change their pins.
The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services confirmed that many Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program recipients are being targeted by thieves and skimming incidents.
Stolen SNAP benefits
Nathan Gamble helps care for three kids in New Brighton, Beaver County, and said his fiance came out of the grocery store empty-handed.
"I went to the store with my fiance," Gamble said. "And she come out and they turned her down at the register, and there were numerous people at Food Land that got turned away."
Gamble said he is one of many in his New Brighton apartment building hit by thieves draining their monthly SNAP benefits from their accounts. His neighbor Robert Lowe said the money disappeared on Jan. 6.
"As someone who has no income right now at all, it's hitting me hard because I literally have no food in my house at all," Lowe said.
Both Gamble and Lowe told KDKA that all of the neighbors discovered thieves spent their funds at two stores in Brooklyn, New York.
"They even contacted these stores, and the guy said they can do whatever they want and hung up," Gamble said.
"That's the same experience I had," Lowe said.
Refunding stolen SNAP benefits
KDKA Investigates reached out to the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services to ask how widespread this issue is and to ask about refunds. Unfortunately for many, recent changes to the program mean there's no way to recover the stolen money.
If benefits were stolen after Dec. 20, 2024, the state said it has no recourse because the federal budget extension did not include funds for SNAP reimbursement. If thieves stole your money before Dec. 20, 2024, you can still apply to have it reimbursed. But you need to act fast. You have until Feb. 18 to seek reimbursement.
