By Kody Fisher
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RICHMOND, Indiana (WISH) — A man who was recently scammed out of hundreds of dollars from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program wants the Indiana state government to do more to protect those grocery benefits.
SNAP is a federal program, administered through states, that helps low-income people and families buy food. Nicholas Turner told I-Team 8 what happened to his family highlights a glaring hole in the system that he wants lawmakers to close.
Turner’s Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card for SNAP is what started his nightmare.
Earlier this month, he suspects a card skimmer at a grocery compromised the card, putting its information in the hands of thieves.
How much exactly? “$399.87,” Turner said.
That’s more than 50% of his monthly benefit.
“I’m skipping meals just so my kids can eat,” Turner said.
When he reached out the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration, which distributes SNAP benefits, he was told reimbursements were not possible because a continuing resolution that federal lawmakers passed in December to avoid a government shutdown took away that funding.
So, Turner shifted his focus to preventing it from happening to other people by getting the state to update the card technology. He flipped through a stack of emails he sent to lawmakers. “I sent this to everyone in the entire legislature and the lieutenant governor and the governor.”
He said he got automated email responses from all but “just my local rep,” Republican state Rep. Brad Barrett.”
A representative of Barrett’s office told Turner by email that it would “Pass along your thoughts/situation to Representative Barrett to explore/keep in mind for next session, if there is any possibility to refine this program through legislation and therefore preventing fraud in this space.”
Turner was frustrated.
California and other states have been working to roll out more secure card technology.
Turner said “We’re using ’90s tech to protect 2025 families. I’m not asking Indiana to be perfect. I’m asking them to stop being last.”
Indiana FSSA told I-Team 8 in an email it was aware of California updating its technology: “FSSA is watching this implementation closely as we evaluate the potential implementation of chip cards here in Indiana.”
In the meantime, Turner is forced to be hypervigilant at groceries.
“Swipe and pray and then immediately change the PIN (personal identification number) after that,” Turner said.
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