News
EBT Account Holders Warned To Be On Guard To Prevent Benefits Thefts
(CNS) – A growing number of thefts targeting Riverside County residents who depend on the state welfare system to purchase food are occurring in the Riverside metropolitan area and parts of the Coachella Valley, prompting authorities Monday to warn recipients to be cautious how and where they use their state-issued debit cards.
According to the county Department of Public Social Services, regional law enforcement officials and others throughout the nation have observed a rise in unauthorized access of electronic benefits transfer cards, with thieves draining EBT accounts, leaving recipients with no way to pay for store goods.
“In California alone, thieves steal $5 million in EBT benefits every month, most commonly through a method called skimming,” DPSS Special Investigations Unit Chief Shawn Ferris said. “People who participate in the CalWORKs and CalFresh programs are noticing that their accounts are being emptied, and this affects their ability to buy food and meet their most basic needs.”
Ferris said the greatest number of thefts have been tracked in Hemet, Moreno Valley, Riverside, Corona and Desert Hot Springs.
Theft by skimming is nothing new, generally involving the use of capturing devices rigged to ATMs and credit or debit card scanners to covertly procure personal identification numbers of cards, as well as the card numbers themselves, during transactions.
The perpetrators then turn around and create cards using the victims’ information to access their bank funds, investment holdings — and EBT resources, according to authorities.
DPSS estimated that 50 to 100 EBT thefts occur monthly countywide.
The agency’s Special Investigations Unit has recently initiated efforts to ferret out and dismantle skimming devices, “removing more than 40 illegally installed cameras on ATMs … and working with other agencies to investigate these crimes,” DPSS said.
“DPSS investigators want the public to be aware of ways to prevent EBT theft,” according to the agency. “Card users should visually inspect an ATM machine to see if it’s been altered in any way. For example, customers should look for pinholes about the size of the tip of a pencil, which indicate a camera has been installed. Investigators also recommend customers cover the PIN pad as they enter their PIN so a camera doesn’t record the number.”
EBT theft can be reported via DPSS’ fraud hotline, 800-344-8477.
Copyright 2022, City News Service, Inc.
By: Ceci Partridge
November 1, 2022
Latest Instagram Posts
BREAKING NEWS: Country artist Dolly Parton has died at 80 following prolonged issues. Our Maria Noble Valdez has more here. Be sure to stay tuned nbcpalmsprings.com for more information. #dollyparton #breakingnews #nbcpalmsprings
📘Make your child the main character in a book, or give someone a special keepsake.📕 Thalia discovered this app and wanted to share it with all of you: Bookestry.com
Meet Kaydee, the newest visitor to the Big Bear Valley Eagle Nest! Kaydee has been making herself right at home — and on Sunday, she gave viewers some seriously adorable head tilts while checking out her reflection in the camera dome. Experts believe Kaydee is female based on her size compared with Shadow, who she’s recently been spotted hanging out with following the death of Shadow’s longtime partner, Jackie. Jackie and Shadow’s eaglets, Sandy and Luna, fledged a few weeks ago and are now out on their own. For now, we’re happy to follow along with Kaydee’s sweet adventures! ❤️🦅 #BigBear #BigBearValley #BaldEagle #KaydeeTheEagle #ShadowTheEagle EagleNest CaliforniaWildlife Wildlife NBCPalmSprings
Calling MOOOM! The Iowa State Fair’s annual Mom Calling Contest is back, and these kids brought their best—and funniest—mom calls to the mic! From Fortnite updates to snack emergencies, apparently everything is a five-alarm situation when you’re a kid. 8-year-old Vivien Sullivan of Ankeny took home first place, a blue ribbon and $5! Would your kid win this contest? 👀 #IowaStateFair #MomCallingContest #Iowa #StateFair #KidsBeingKids #FunnyKids #Mom #FamilyFun #ViralVideo #NBCPalmSprings
☕️ Social Time with Thalia & Jerry
It’s that time of year again! It’s the start of the 2026 Friday Night Lights season, and you can see all the action here on NBC Palm Springs and nbcpalmsprings.com #fnl #fridaynightlights🏈 #football #nbcpalmsprings
UPDATE: The San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department have confirmed that one person has died and another two were injured after a home explosion on Ocotillo Rd in Twentynine Palms. Security camera video from a nearby neighbor captured the dramatic blast around 8:28 p.m., followed by a fire that brought a massive emergency response from fire and law enforcement agencies across the Morongo Basin. The burning structure has been confirmed as a residence at 6427 Ocotillo Ave. The cause of the explosion remains under investigation and the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Arson/Bomb Detail team is conducting the investigation. Tune in to our evening newscasts for the latest information.
A little galaxy far, far away… meets the debate over surveillance cameras. 👀 A man dressed as Darth Vader spoke at a San Diego City Council meeting this week, telling members the emperor is a “fan of Flock,” the company behind license plate-reading cameras facing scrutiny across the country. The moment came as communities debate the balance between public safety, technology and privacy. #SanDiego #FlockCameras #LicensePlateReaders #Surveillance #Privacy #StarWars #DarthVader #California #LocalNews #NBCPalmSprings
From Jackie and Shadow to the next generation. Millions watched the beloved Big Bear bald eagle family. Now, following Jackie’s death, conservationists are working to protect and track the young eagles who could represent the future of the species. See the full story at NBCPalmSprings.com. #BaldEagles #BigBear #WildlifeConservation #NBCPalmSprings #southerncalifornia
The Palm Springs Police Department opened its doors to its surveillance center to give the public a firsthand look at how they use flock cameras across the city. After a look behind the scenes, we asked residents about their impression of the technology. Make sure to tune in to our 5 and 6 p.m newscast for all the details.