LAKE COUNTY— For at least the last 11 days Lake County has been subject to a new financial scam targeting those receiving EBT benefits, specifically CalWORKs and CalFresh accounts. The scam has a broad scope and may involve a technique known as “skimming” where offenders install devices on ATMs and card readers in high traffic areas like gas stations and grocery stores, and can then access images of your card. Eventually your account is drained, leaving less than one dollar remaining.
Which is exactly what happened to Erika Fabo who went to buy groceries last week and found her card had a balance of 54 cents. “It’s scary because I need my benefits and I am on a tight budget” said Fabo, who is still unsure as to how the incident occurred. She had visited two stores, Brunos Shop Smart and Grocery Outlet in Lakeport and said she could not determine exactly where the funds had been withdrawn. Fabo did note that a Social Services Department caseworker had told her it could have been a form of remote hacking without her card having been physically compromised. Either way Fabo is stuck waiting for a replacement card, worried it could happen again. “Lots of families rely on this to feed their families, and you don’t know how often this could have happened,” she added. Unfortunately, county officials shared this is the current situation for hundreds of local households.
Lake County Social Services Deputy Director of Eligibility and Employment Services Rachael Dillman Parsons shared via email that from June 1 to June 9 there have been “221 Total Cases Skimmed/Scammed: $166,746 stolen, $145,229 replaced.”
A case refers to an entire family or household unit, therefore 221 cases equates to 221 households for a total of over 15,000 individuals affected. According to Parsons, there are 840 total active CalWORKs cases and 9,792 total active CalFresh cases in Lake County. Of those cases 80 CalWORKs cases have been affected totaling $76,096 as well as 141 Cal Fresh cases totaling $90,650. All of the stolen CalWORKs funds were replaced while only $69,133 of the stolen CalFresh funds were able to be replaced. This is because CalFresh rules only allow for the replacement of one month’s benefits, with Parsons noting “That is a rule we (the County Welfare Department) do not have the authority to override.”
This particular scam may not be new to the state but Parsons said that “Until June 2023, we had experienced very little skimming/scamming theft in Lake County, although larger counties throughout the State of California have been experiencing it for the last few years.” Despite it having just begun locally, the amount stolen increases daily, and by vast amounts. From June 1 to June 5 a total of $45,325 was stolen while from June 6 to June 9 an additional $121,421 was stolen.
Parsons mentioned that the department does make a referral to law enforcement for each replacement from EBT skimming/scamming theft, which does not bar customers from making their own report to law enforcement if they wish to do so. She also noted that in 2024 EBT cards will be chipped for higher security, but until then they are more susceptible to theft and so the Department of Social Services has issued the following safety tips for card holders to utilize for effective theft prevention: “Keep your PIN and card number secret. Cover your hand when typing in your PIN. Change your PIN often, at least once a month the day before your benefits become available. Do not click on any links from text messages or emails regarding your EBT card. Watch out for suspicious websites. Protect your benefits, keep track of your balances daily. If you get cash aid, sign up for Direct Deposit if possible. Bank cards with smart chips are more secure.”
Those who have experienced theft are encouraged to call the 24/7 helpline at 1-877-328-9677 or visit your local county office. For more information please visit www.ebt.ca.gov or www.benefitscal.com.
