DANVILLE, Va. – Several Danville residents say their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits were stolen overnight Wednesday, leaving families without money to buy groceries for the remainder of the month.
Victims reported waking up to find their Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards emptied just hours after their monthly benefits were deposited. Transaction records reviewed by 10 News showed purchases made in locations including Philadelphia, Brooklyn and New Jersey.
“It’s like they’re just throwing us off, like we’re nothing,” Danville resident Briana Williams said. “It’s not right. It’s not fair because it’s no fault of ours.”
Williams said the stolen benefits represented one of her family’s only source of food assistance.
“Someone took our only comfort of knowing we could feed our kids,” she said. “I know my baby’s going to be able to eat tonight or have breakfast in the morning. Now parents and grandparents and people are just worrying day after day after day for this entire month.”
The thefts come as recipients have few options for recovering their lost benefits.
An executive order that took effect in late 2024 ended a temporary program that allowed states to use federal funds to replace SNAP benefits stolen through card skimming, cloning and other forms of electronic theft. As a result, Virginia does not currently have a state-funded program to reimburse recipients whose benefits are stolen.
That means affected households generally must wait until their next monthly SNAP allotment unless they can find help from charitable organizations or other community resources.
Finding emergency food assistance over the Independence Day holiday weekend proved difficult. Multiple organizations contacted by 10 News were either closed for the holiday or did not answer their phones. Virginia 211, which connects callers with food, housing and utility assistance, said available emergency resources were limited and suggested reaching out to friends or family for help.
“We shouldn’t have to be the ones suffering when we have nothing else in place to help us,” Williams said.
In a statement, the Danville Department of Social Services urged anyone who believes their SNAP benefits were stolen to report the incident immediately and request a replacement EBT card.
“Any SNAP recipient who believes their benefits were stolen should contact their local social services department immediately to report the incident and request a replacement EBT card,” the department said. “To help prevent future theft, all SNAP recipients are strongly encouraged to use the Lock/Unlock feature available through their EBT account. Locking an EBT card when it is not being used is one of the most effective ways to prevent unauthorized transactions and protect benefits from ongoing scam activity.”
Food resources for Danville residents
Residents needing food assistance after the holiday weekend may be able to access the following resources:
- House of Hope (open this weekend): Serving free meals throughout the holiday weekend on a first-come, first-served basis.
- Danville Department of Social Services: Report stolen SNAP benefits, request a replacement EBT card and receive guidance on available assistance.
- Virginia 211: Call 2-1-1 or visit Virginia 211 to search for food pantries, meal sites and other emergency assistance programs operating after the holiday weekend.
- God’s Storehouse: Provides emergency food assistance during regular operating hours.
- Salvation Army of Danville: May provide emergency food assistance and referrals based on availability.