Recently, a Houston woman, Claudette Merchant, found out her SNAP funds were stolen. As a single mom, she was shopping for groceries at H-E-B for her kids. When she went to pay for the groceries, her SNAP card was declined.
Claudette had received $700 on her card before shopping, but suddenly, it was all gone from her account, preventing her from paying for the groceries. At the store, she was confused and thought the cashier was telling her she had $500 in her account. As it turns out, she only had $5 left in her account. She described the whole incident as shocking.
She has three kids to feed and is extremely worried about how she’ll put food on the table. Every day, she struggles to make ends meet. Since she is a single mother, she doesn’t have anyone helping her with food and bills either. Upon realizing the gravity of the situation, she stated, “I’ve been scammed; it’s hard for single parents, especially single mothers who don’t have help like they’re supposed to.”
The situation is so dire now that the funds can’t be replaced. Earlier, there used to be a federal protection program that refunded money that may have been stolen. However, it was changed in December 2024; there is no longer a chance to get her money back, even when the funds stolen are not her fault.
SNAP funds once taken out from the account can’t be replaced, so it’s truly unfortunate for this single mother. Being a victim of “SNAP skimming,” she cannot rely on the supplemental funds anymore. These days many people are suffering from this loss as the electronic theft has been increasing. Someone might crack the PIN or add card readers and hidden devices to the card readers to steal the funds. It can take only a few minutes to wipe someone’s account.
SNAP fraud is on the rise nationwide, with thieves stealing card info and draining funds meant for groceries.
To protect Utahns, we’ve launched a new EBT card lock. This state-built feature lets users turn their card on and off — and more than 3,000 people have already used it… pic.twitter.com/gN5SKa9AaG
— Governor Cox (@GovCox) April 24, 2025
Claudette feels it is unfair for her not to get her money back, as she has been scammed. She does not deserve this. After cancelling her old card, she requested a new one. But this cannot fix what she has lost this month.
While she does not have money to buy more groceries till the next funds come, she may connect with the local food bank and organizations for support.
As a single mom, she’ll need all the help she can get, with grocery prices already high. Besides, there have been so many similar incidents that federal protection for such theft should be offered so that people don’t lose out on benefits.
#ICYMI: An alarming trend is growing in Indiana—numerous families are discovering their SNAP benefits have been stolen from their EBT cards with no way to recover the lost funds.
Read Full Story: https://t.co/BfO5fY50cN pic.twitter.com/p0xdfDeeSp
— WSBT (@WSBT) January 19, 2025
If you’re someone who uses a SNAP card, make sure you protect it with a few steps. See that you don’t share your PIN with people. This includes store workers, family, and friends, too, as you don’t know someone’s intentions. Whenever you’re checking out, see if the card readers do not have anything attached to them or look tampered with.
Moreover, change your passcode after a while to ensure it hasn’t been compromised. And if you notice anything out of the ordinary, report fraud and safeguard your funds immediately. Sometimes, the state may use your funds to replace them in case of theft, so it’s best to stay vigilant when something similar happens.
