The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services announced Wednesday that it has uncovered recent instances of Electronic Benefit Transfer fraud impacting over 100 households in the state.
DHHS said its investigators have visited multiple retail locations throughout the state and have confiscated three skimming devices in the Lincoln area to date. The Department said it has notified local authorities and will continue its investigation to identify and remove any additional devices. More than 130 households have been affected in the state, with a majority occurring in Lincoln.
Lincoln Police Department Public Information Officer Erika Thomas said LPD had documented 31 cases with an estimated total of $17,000 stolen from EBT scam victims as of Wednesday.
Thomas said DHHS reports may not synchronize with LPD reports but could be correlated. The 130 cases identified by DHHS are statewide, and the data comes directly from victim reports to the Department. She added that LPD had no knowledge of the three skimmers obtained by the department.
DHHS said it has worked with Fidelity Information Services, Nebraska’s EBT retailer, to identify two out-of-state retailers in New York and California, preventing them from stealing additional funds from Nebraska EBT cards.
“DHHS continues to work closely with law enforcement, our EBT vendors, and internal investigators to locate any remaining skimming devices,” said Shannon Grotrian, Director of the Office of Economic Assistance. “We remain vigilant and are committed to stopping all attempts of fraud against Nebraskans.”
According to the DHHS, skimming devices are used by criminals to capture information entered on card readers, often resembling legitimate card readers and may be slightly larger, creating a lip or edge. Consumers should be alert for any other card reader that appears loose, crooked, damaged, or otherwise altered.
The Department encouraged Nebraskans to consider the following: changing PIN on card monthly, downloading the Fidelity Information Services application, checking accounts regularly for unauthorized changes, and being aware of suspicions calls, texts, and emails asking for sensitive information.
Individuals who believe their EBT benefits have been used fraudulently or have located a skimmer can contact local authorities to file a report. They also can contact DHHS’s Special Investigation Unit at 402-595-3789 or DHHS.InvestigationsSIU@nebraska.gov.