Butler police investigating after reports of EBT cards compromised

BUTLER, Pa. — Butler City Police are investigating several fraud reports after residents’ Electronic Benefit Transfer cards were compromised.

“I was upset,” said Howard Undercuffer, who found out about the apparent fraud on Wednesday.

He and others at the Dollar General Market in Butler are learning that shoppers there may have had their SNAP benefits stolen by a credit card skimmer.

However, police did not find a skimmer at the DG Market. Police noted that while no devices were located during the search, it does not definitively rule out the location as the point of compromise.

“Money’s hard to make, especially when you’re retired,” Undercuffer said. “You only get so much.”

Butler Police have about a dozen calls so far from people saying their EBT cards are compromised and being used in eastern Pennsylvania.

In December 2024, the federal government stopped reimbursing SNAP benefits that were lost due to skimming and phishing scams. So those stolen funds are gone.

“It doesn’t worry me for myself as much as the people I see walking to this location that literally depend on this store to feed their kids,” said Shelby Loos of Butler County. “They walk here with wagons, and this is their only source to buy food, so now they have to worry about the source, where they’re going to be targeted, and now they don’t have any money at all.”

“We understand that this is an issue because this is folks’ food budgets,” added Brandon Swalina, PA Department of Human Services Press Secretary.

Cwalina said there are ways you can protect your benefits.

First, report a compromised card to police or the state inspector general.

Then you can freeze your funds if you’re not using your card, and unfreeze them when you make a purchase.

He recommends changing your PIN every month.

Also, Cwalina said shoppers and businesses should check card readers.

“Just pull at the EBT reader, or the card reader, before you make a swipe,” he said.

Authorities are asking anyone who made a purchase at the Main Street Dollar General within the last 48 hours to monitor their financial records. This includes bank, credit and debit card accounts along with EBT cards to ensure no unauthorized transactions have occurred. Residents who discover losses should report them to the Butler City Police.

To learn more about how to freeze and unfreeze your EBT benefit funds, click here

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