Thousands of WA Families Lose State Benefits to Scammers

Thousands of Washingtonians have lost their state benefits to criminal scammers.

Imagine going to the grocery store to purchase food for your family and finding out that there are no funds to pay for your purchase.

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What if you have several people depending on you to feed them? What can you do? You're not alone.

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According to the USDA, they've received several reports of SNAP fraud.

Thieves place a device on a retailer’s card-swiping machine to copy EBT card information. Card skimming can happen to anyone that uses a credit, debit or EBT card, including SNAP participants.

The scammers are sending fake text messages to get your EBT information. NEVER give your EBT card number or PIN number to anyone by phone or text.

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What can you do to protect yourself from EBT fraud?

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Don't share your EBT PIN with anyone outside of your household.

Check your EBT account regularly to watch for any unauthorized purchases. If you see any, change your PIN immediately and report the unauthorized charge to your local SNAP office.

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