TOLEDO, Ohio — Some bad actors are stealing food stamps, formally known as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, according to Lucas County Job and Family Services.
Anthony Rowan has been dealing with fraud on his EBT card, which allows a person to pay for food using SNAP benefits, and said it affects more than just his next meal.
Rowan said he gets money from Lucas County to spend on food every month. On Oct. 18, $291 was on his card. Later that day when he went to buy groceries, it was all gone.
So, Rowan paid out of pocket, which caused him to be late on his car payment.
He said he later found out his benefits were stolen, potentially from a card skimmer.
"I was heartbroken ... It's a pretty big setback," Rowan said.
Setbacks are something he's been too familiar with lately, too.
"I have fibromyalgia, I have a hernia sitting on my stomach that doctors won't do nothing about, and I always have back pain," he said.
Rowan said those chronic illnesses have limited the number of hours he can work, which is why he applied for SNAP benefits.
"Life kind of hits you and other things also go wrong at the same time sometimes, just makes it really hard," Rowan said.
He said he reported the theft to Lucas County's investigations department. But, county workers told him it could take up to 30 days to get his funds reimbursed.
"I'm basically waiting another month," Rowan said.
The investigations department told WTOL 11 it's working as fast as it can to approve reimbursements.
But Rowan isn't the only one dealing with this issue.
According to the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, from Oct. 1, 2022, to Sept. 13, 2024, it has reimbursed $6.8 million in stolen SNAP benefits to 11,859 Ohioans.
ODJFS provided the following tips for SNAP recipients to protect their benefits:
- Look for card skimmers when going to pay for groceries
- Protect PIN when paying
- Lock the card through the ConnectEBT app when not in use
These are tips Rowan said he plans to use in the future and hopes telling his story will stop others from dealing with this setback.
"It could happen to the wrong person and it could cause them to lose their house or their car even," he said.
ODJFS also recommends SNAP recipients to check card statements often.
If you see anything unusual and live in Lucas County, you can contact the investigations departments by calling 419-213-8701.