State of Illinois no longer reimbursing SNAP food benefits fraud victims

CHICAGO (WLS) — There is a warning from the ABC7 I-Team about a scheme that could impact the two million people in Illinois who receive food benefits from the government.

Thieves have found a way to steal from people’s SNAP accounts. Now the state of Illinois is telling the I-Team they are no longer able to replace the funds, leaving some families struggling to put food on the table.

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It is a sophisticated scheme that is affecting people nationwide. Hackers have been clearing out people’s food benefits over the last few years.

The state was reimbursing them, but that’s not happening anymore, unless the federal government steps in.

Last month, Chatham resident Ciaira Herbert checked her EBT account before heading to the grocery store, and there was a huge problem.

“So I looked at the app and it said someone had taken $440 off my SNAP benefits card in Florida,” Herbert said.

But Herbert says she was in Chicago! Someone had cleared out her food benefits account, leaving the mother with $7 for her and her son.

“Food prices are higher, eggs cost a lot,” Herbert said. “It was very difficult last month just to maintain my household and the things me and my son needed.”

The I-Team has gotten dozens of calls over the last few years about SNAP fraud, also known as EBT fraud, from people whose LINK cards were drained.

READ MORE | Illinois SNAP benefit fraudsters draining Link cards of food funds; experts say more security needed

The Illinois Department of Human Services did have a system in place to reimburse SNAP fraud victims, but not anymore.

“They said they weren’t giving anyone any benefits back, and they were sorry and there wasn’t anything they could do,” Herbert said. “I was immediately taken aback.”

IDHS told the I-Team it is a nationwide problem that they’re working with local and federal law enforcement to crack down on.

However, IDHS said “unfortunately, the federal bill that allowed replacement of stolen snap benefits was not extended and ended on December 20, 2024. While IDHS will continue to track benefit theft to include in our annual reports to the Illinois General Assembly, the state does not have a way to replace stolen benefits without federal support.”

IDHS said fraud victims can access food pantries, soup kitchens and other local emergency services across Illinois.

Still, Herbert is floored the $440 in food benefits that was stolen won’t be replaced.

“I’m only on assistance for a certain amount of months, and I’m using it productively, so I won’t have to use it in the future,” Herbert said. “And then this setback happens, which could make it longer to meet the end goal, which is not to be on assistance.”

Illinois Congressman Jonathan Jackson released the following statement:
“I am calling on Congress and the USDA to restore federal protections that allow stolen benefits to be next replaced and to expand resources for families in crisis… We must do more to ensure no child, senior, or next struggling family goes hungry due to preventable fraud.”

SNAP recipients have been asked by the state to change their pin every month, freeze cards in between transactions and turn off the out-of-state feature on the EBT app.

IDHS said Illinois is getting ready to participate in the USDA’s Mobile Payment Pilot, set to launch later this year, which gives Illinois customers access to the most updated technology and fraud prevention measures for EBT. This will allow Illinois LINK card users to “tap to pay” with their mobile phones and make SNAP purchases at the point-of-sale without the presence of the LINK card (i.e., there is no physical card that can be skimmed).

For more information on this, SNAP recipients can visit www.link.illinois.gov.