Single mothers in South Carolina defrauded of SNAP benefits via EBT card fraud, leaving families food-insecure as reimbursement funding expired

Summary

Cyber criminals stole SNAP benefits from families in the Upstate region of South Carolina. A woman named Patricia Bridwell discovered her EBT card balance was drained shortly after benefits were deposited, with fraudulent transactions occurring in Philadelphia. Bridwell’s daughter, a single mother, also had her benefits stolen, leaving the family struggling to afford food. Federal funding to reimburse stolen SNAP benefits expired in December, and the South Carolina Department of Social Services (DSS) is no longer able to provide reimbursements. DSS has not sent emails or letters to notify SNAP recipients about the scam, relying instead on website and social media alerts. Community activist Traci Fant is helping affected families, as many are now relying on food banks to avoid going hungry.