‘They’re Stealing Food From My Kids’: SNAP recipients and the struggle against EBT Theft
EBT theft has deeply damaged the lives of the lowest-income Americans. The following insights reveal a system that leaves people in the dark and fails to protect a crucial lifeline.
In recent years, EBT theft has deeply damaged the lives of the lowest-income Americans and inflicted significant financial losses on taxpayers. In California alone, the loss has amounted to at least $181 million, while the federal government has spent at least $61.5 million in replacement benefits in the past year.
Britt and other victims of EBT theft have been confronted with dire choices, like between going hungry and forgoing rent.
We surveyed 10,690 EBT customers through Propel ( propel.app) about their awareness of the fast-evolving crime and the challenges they face in protecting themselves. We also reached 1,770 people directly affected by the crime to better understand their experiences and their efforts to seek reimbursement.
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