The Hidden Heist: How Billions Vanish from Food Aid Programs

The USDA is raising alarms about a massive theft problem in food assistance programs. They believe that around $12 billion is stolen every year from SNAP benefits, but this number might be even higher. The thieves are getting smarter, using high-tech tricks to steal from the system. Investigators have noticed a big problem with how states report fraud. At the start of 2025, states said about $350 million was stolen in 2024. But by August, that number dropped by $100 million because of a change in Tennessee's report. For the first three months of 2025, states reported $136 million in stolen benefits, with Georgia leading the pack at nearly $23 million. The USDA isn't taking these numbers lightly. They teamed up with the Secret Service to hunt down skimming devices in stores across the country. In just two days in Atlanta and Columbus, they found dozens of these machines. Most of these crimes are linked to groups operating across borders, taking advantage of our digital world. Fraudsters are always coming up with new ways to steal. They use cyber attacks, brute force methods, and even fake IDs to trick the system. The USDA is struggling to keep up, as these criminals are always one step ahead. Technology might be part of the solution, but it's not a quick fix. The USDA has suggested using chip technology for EBT cards, but it's not fully funded yet. In the meantime, hackers struck a SNAP call center in July, causing more problems. Georgia has seen a huge jump in fraud reports. In 2024, they reported $4. 4 million stolen, but in the first three months of 2025, that number skyrocketed to nearly $23 million. The state is urging people to use the ConnectEBT app to lock their cards when not in use. Here are the top states reporting stolen SNAP benefits in early 2025: Georgia, New York, California, Alabama, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, Virginia, Illinois, and Florida. To protect yourself, always check payment terminals for tampering. Cover your PIN, and consider using mobile wallets instead of swiping your card. Keep an eye on your accounts and sign up for text alerts from your bank. But be careful—scammers might try to trick you too.