Across the Upstate region of South Carolina, families are struggling with a disturbing new threat: scam-related theft targeting EBT cards. These EBT Benefits, often used to buy groceries through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), are being drained by cybercriminals using advanced fraudulent methods. The result? Vulnerable families are left without essential public assistance benefits like food stamps, Temporary Assistance, and cash benefits.
The impact is devastating. Many victims are unable to access replacement cards quickly, and balance inquiries show that funds are gone long before families can act. The expiration of federal reimbursement programs means there’s no fallback. If you’re a victim, Ted Law Firm is here to help you explore legal action and recover your losses.
The Shocking Reality of Scam-Related Theft and EBT Card Fraud
This is not an isolated issue , investigators believe these crimes stem from international crime rings using card skimming, card cloning, and phishing scams to access personal identification and steal benefits.
A Local Case: Patricia Bridwell’s Story
Patricia Bridwell, a Greenville resident, checked her EBT transaction history and discovered her benefit deposit had been stolen just hours after it was added. DSS confirmed that her EBT card had been used in Philadelphia , a clear fraudulent transaction. She immediately contacted EBT Customer Service and the Department of Social Services, but was told her benefits from scam losses couldn’t be reimbursed.
Her daughter , also a SNAP recipient , faced similar scam-related theft, resulting in both being forced to seek help from food banks. Patricia’s family, like many others, has no access to the unfreeze card feature, leaving their benefits unsafe and their cupboards empty.
How Cybercriminals Steal Public Assistance Benefits
Criminals use a variety of fraudulent methods:
- Skimming Devices on card readers to steal card data
- Card Cloning using stolen personal identification
- Phishing scams via text and email
- Creation of fake cards to drain accounts
- Exploiting weaknesses in social service organization systems
The application process for benefits like food stamps, Temporary Assistance, and even medical care is no longer enough to ensure security. Adult Protective Services and foster care agencies report increasing numbers of stolen disability benefits and child care assistance.
Why Victims Can’t Get a Benefit Replacement
Until December, DSS had access to federal funds for Temporary Assistance benefit replacement and claims for benefits stolen. Now, the only advice victims get is to call the EBT Customer Service Helpline and file reports , often through paper applications, paper form submissions, or paper claim form formats.
Families report that DSS:
- Offers no help recovering stolen funds
- Posts only online alerts (which many low-income New Yorkers or South Carolinians never see)
- Provides no support for benefit replacement or lost benefit type inquiries
What Should You Do?
If you think your EBT card was compromised:
- Call EBT Customer Service at 1-800-554-5258
- Request a replacement card
- Log and save EBT transaction history, time of theft, and any bank records
- File a police report
- Contact Ted Law Firm to discuss legal options , especially if you received no DSS warning or lost access to public assistance benefits like cash benefits, medical care, or child care
We can help victims hold DSS and social services accountable for failing to prevent this kind of scam-related theft.
What the Government Hasn’t Done
FOX Carolina Investigates found:
- DSS did not notify SNAP users by mail
- No application process improvement to secure discretionary spending money
- SNAP office offers no guidance on online balance inquiries
- DSS lacks any card feature or mobile application to prevent fraud
Victims like Patricia feel abandoned , their food stamps, disability claim, or Disaster SNAP funds lost, with no accountability.
Legal Options for Victims of EBT Card Fraud
Legal action may include:
- Filing claims for benefits from scam theft
- Proving DSS’s failure to secure card readers and notify clients
- Exploring fee for service mismanagement, vulnerable person abuse, or past-due benefits cases
- Group claims or lawsuits regarding Department of Social Services negligence
Ted Law Firm Is Taking Action
We assist victims by:
- Reviewing EBT Customer Service communication
- Helping document EBT transaction history
- Filing formal complaints for stolen Temporary Assistance, cash benefits, or food stamps
- Exploring legal actions regarding benefits safe failures
If DSS failed you, we can investigate social service organization negligence or benefits for cash abuses that left you vulnerable.
This is more than a case of debit cards being compromised , it’s a failure of our social services system to protect those most in need. Every fake card, every fraudulent transaction, and every stolen benefit deposit is a direct hit to a struggling family’s survival.
Let Ted Law Firm help. If you’re facing lost EBT Benefits, public assistance benefits, or stolen Temporary Assistance, don’t settle for silence. Hold the right institutions accountable , and take back control.
Trust Ted Law Firm to guide you through life’s most difficult times. We’re committed to your recovery and peace of mind. We proudly represents injured moped riders and their families in Aiken, Charleston, Greenville, Columbia, Myrtle Beach, and Atlanta,advocating for accident victims across South Carolina and Georgia. When a devastating crash turns your world upside down, you can count on Ted Law Firm to stand by your side and provide the trusted legal support you deserve.
Contact us now for a free consultation and get the support you need today.
Attorney Ted Sink, founder of The Ted Law Firm, is a Yale, Stanford Business School, and Charleston School of Law graduate and former marketing executive who built a 7-figure law practice, earning millions for his clients. With experience in both law and advertising, Ted has been recognized in Forbes, Entrepreneur, and the ABA Journal. He speaks at industry conferences on marketing and law firm management, sharing insights from his unique background to help other firms grow. When not working, Ted enjoys traveling, diving, and dog-sitting golden retrievers.
