LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A vulnerable population may be at risk, according to the Kentucky Department for Community Based Services. A Louisville man said he had hundreds of dollars taken from his electronic balance transfer account or EBT card.
In Dec. 2022, Congress passed a law to protect and replace snap benefits that are stolen.
The United States Department of Agriculture said that means states can use federal funds to provide replacement benefits under a state approved plan.
Kentucky’s plan was approved and implemented in early Aug. 2023; but some people are still not seeing the relief they need.
At the first of every month, Stanley Davis receives SNAP and Kentucky Transitional Assistance Program (KTAP) benefits on his EBT card; but, the first of this month was different.
“I woke up on the 1st of December and I checked my card, and my funds were gone. I found out that somebody had hacked my card,” said Davis.
He said there should have been $870 total on the card, but all that was left was $65.
Davis said he contacted the Kentucky Department for Community Based Services to fix the problem. His SNAP money was restored, but he claims they told him that his KTAP benefits won’t be replaced.
“They gave no reason. They just simply said when I talked to the lady in person, she before I could even ask her, are they going to refund my money. She told me, ‘I just want you to know that they’re not going to give you your money back’,” he said.
The 60-year-old said he depends on that money and is struggling to make Christmas happen for his son.
“He’s seven, and he loves Santa Claus, you know, he loves Christmas time, and it’s going to be devastating for him to wake up on Christmas and not have no presents under the tree,” Davis said.
The Department for Community Based Services said if you know your information is stolen, report it, get a new card, and change your personal identification number (PIN). Davis said that’s not enough.
“That pin number is something that you choose. It’s a four-digit number that you choose from your own self, and if somebody could do it then, what’s stopping them from doing it again?” he said.
In a social media post, the Department for Community Based Services said “cash assistance is not eligible for replacement at this time but we still encourage it to be reported.”
Spectrum News 1 reached out to the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services about how many Kentuckians are affected by stolen benefits and why Davis’ money hasn’t been replaced. We’ll let you know when we hear back.
We checked the United States Department of Agriculture’s new SNAP Replacement of Stolen Benefits dashboard and at last check, Kentucky has not yet reported any of its claims.
The USDA said states have 45 days after the end of the fiscal year quarter to turn in their report.