North Carolina’s Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) program has lost more than $554,000 in stolen benefits since August 18. The theft is linked to online transactions at BJ’s Wholesale Club and primarily affected participants with higher balances.
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) responded by blocking online transactions from Connecticut, Florida, and New York on September 6. This decision followed evidence that linked these states to the fraudulent activity.
Since October 2022, the state has reported over $2.7 million in stolen benefits. Criminals have used methods such as card skimming and cloning to access funds illegally.
Participants who had benefits stolen before September 30, 2024, can submit a signed affidavit to their local social services office to request replacements. A new EBT card will be sent within 3-5 business days, and replacement benefits will be available the next calendar day. SUN Bucks benefits, however, cannot be replaced.
NCDHHS recommends individuals using EBT cards take the following actions to keep their EBT card and account secure:
- Check your EBT account regularly for unauthorized charges. You can check your balance and/or replace a lost or stolen EBT card by visiting www.ebtedge.com, using the EBT Edge mobile app or contacting the North Carolina EBT Call Center at 1-888-622-7328.
- Select a “difficult” PIN (i.e., not 1234 or 4444). While this may not prevent card skimming, it is a recommended safety practice.
- If you suspect card skimming, freeze your EBT card when not shopping so fraudulent purchases cannot be made using your card.
- Block out-of-state and online purchases from your EBT Edge accounts or the mobile app.
- Check card reading machines in stores to make sure there is nothing suspicious overlayed or attached to the card swiper.
- Contact law enforcement to report the stolen benefits.
- Call the EBT Call Center at 1-888-622-7328 to request a new EBT card at no cost. Note: the new card will not contain funds that were stolen from the previous card. Clients must make a claim to receive replacement benefits.
- Change the PIN to the EBT card regularly using a new number each time.
For more about information EBT theft and how to report stolen benefits, go to the NCDHHS Card Skimmers and Stolen FNS Benefits webpage.