Ponca City, Okla. — A Ponca City mother of five is facing financial hardship after thieves drained her SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits, leaving her without the resources to feed her family. This is not the first time she has fallen victim to such theft.
Tamika Criner, who relies on the $1,300 she receives monthly for her family of six, says the funds typically arrive in her account at midnight on the 5th of each month. However, in November, she discovered her account had been emptied.
“I woke up and went to go shopping, and nothing was there,” Criner said. “They just told me that there weren’t any more government funds or federal funds, I guess, to reimburse those.”
The loss of her benefits has been a serious blow, leaving her unsure of how she would feed her children amid rising costs for food, rent, and other expenses.
“I’m trying my best. It’s definitely an inconvenience. It’s just wondering how I’m going to put food on the table,” Criner explained.
This month, she was able to use her SNAP card for just $50 before thieves targeted her account once again. Despite following state-recommended precautions, including using the ConnectEBT app to lock her card, Criner’s funds were still stolen.
Oklahoma Human Services, the agency responsible for administering SNAP benefits, responded to the incident with a statement highlighting efforts to protect clients from fraud. The agency noted that, under federal law, SNAP benefits can be used in any state, and while the department is unable to block out-of-state transactions, the ConnectEBT app provides users with the ability to lock their card and control where it is used.
“The agency is working with federal and other partners to allow our state and others to block fraudulent terminals,” said a spokesperson for Oklahoma Human Services.
The agency also confirmed that the Office of Inspector General regularly investigates fraudulent activity, including the use of card skimmers, and works to remove fraudulent terminals from retailers.
Despite these efforts, Criner said she has received little help from the department in recovering her stolen funds. “No resources. I was not pointed in any good direction at all. Just told the funds are gone, and that was it,” she said.
The recurring thefts have left Criner and her family in a difficult situation, struggling to make ends meet. The ongoing problem raises questions about the effectiveness of current security measures and how more can be done to protect vulnerable recipients of government assistance.
