REMARKS
Council Member Zhuang raises concerns about SNAP benefit fraud targeting seniors
1:48:59
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114 sec
Council Member Susan Zhuang highlights a widespread issue of SNAP benefit fraud affecting seniors in her district and beyond. She describes how seniors' EBT cards are being skimmed, with benefits disappearing shortly after being deposited.
- Over 500 seniors have reported this issue to her office
- The fraud is occurring across multiple boroughs, including Queens and Staten Island
- Zhuang emphasizes the significant impact of losing $300-$400 on seniors who depend on SNAP benefits
Susan Zhuang
1:48:59
And, also, I do have a question here.
1:49:02
Recently, we have more than 500 seniors came to my office because the scheme for snap.
1:49:10
Snap benefit.
1:49:11
So their EPT card always get skimmed.
1:49:15
And then when the money coming, you leave 15th, the month of 15th stay of the month.
1:49:22
And after the night, around 2 o'clock in the morning.
1:49:26
The money of gained away.
1:49:29
For a lot of people, 300, $400 is not big money, but for seniors, depend on the snap benefits.
1:49:36
It's really big money for them.
1:49:39
And it's being like a virus traveling in my area.
1:49:44
It's not only in my district.
1:49:46
I got phone calls from Queens, from Staten Island, from everywhere.
1:49:51
So there are the while my employee's mother-in-law also gets scammed, she went inside website to look into it, they actually had a function.
1:50:03
You can close online function.
1:50:08
On the snap benefit card.
1:50:10
But when you receive the card, every time you receive a new card, you report your scan, and then you you get a new card.
1:50:19
When you get a new card, the function always have the online or out of state use always open.
1:50:26
Do we able to close that function when they receive the new cards?
1:50:32
Because a lot of seniors, especially for the immigrants community.
1:50:36
They don't speak English.
1:50:37
They don't know how to go online with the app.
1:50:41
It's very difficult for them.
1:50:43
And also, some of them went to they think pricing can resolve the issue.
1:50:50
But I don't think they can.
1:50:51
So is anything we can do here?
