Feds: Romanian Fraudster Stole Hundreds of Thousands in SNAP and Other Benefits from Low-Income Families
A convenience store in Portland, Ore. advertises they accept EBT and SNAP benefits. A Romanian nationals has been arrested for allegedly installing skimming devices in California stores and stealing benefit numbers. Photo Credit: Tada Images / Shutterstock.com.
Andrei Bogdan Arteni, from Bucharest, Romania, was charged in court on Sept. 9 with conspiracy to steal over $580,000 in public assistance benefits from low-income families, according to a DOJ press release.
Targeted Large Retailers, Grocery Stores
Between October 2023 and March 2024, Arteni, working with others, allegedly installed skimming devices in card readers at large retailers and grocery stores in and near neighborhoods with a larger number of electronic benefit transfer (EBT) card recipients, including families that rely on upon Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Plan (SNAP) benefits, according to the press release.
Skimming devices installed on card readers at ATMs, grocery stores, and fuel pumps scan and capture card data and PIN information, according to an FBI report about skimming scams. Once the skimming device has the card information, the criminal can download it onto another card and use it to make unauthorized withdrawals.
The fraudsters allegedly scanned the government-issued benefits cards and created fake cards using their information. Then, they reportedly used the phony cards to withdraw over $580,000 over the next few months, prosecutors say.
Arteni is still detained and will appear in a San Diego federal court at his next hearing.
Cash, Jewelry and Skimming Devices
Arteni was arrested in Santa Ana, Calif., on Sept. 8, and the authorities served search warrants for two storage units in National City and Newport Beach, Calif., where Arteni and others used false identities to rent both the units and an Airbnb, the press release details. Authorities seized skimming devices, jewelry, and over $550,000 in cash concealed in household appliances. Romanian authorities also working on the case served search warrants across Romania to ten residences, seizing a property in Iasi and one in Podu Iloaiei, as well as over $190,000 and €200,000 in cash.
The U.S. Secret Service and Birmingham Police Department searched over 1,400 point-of-sale POS terminals, ATMs, and gas pumps on September 9, according to their press release. They discovered three skimming devices as part of an outreach operation to protect consumers. Experts estimate that over $1 billion is lost yearly to skimming crimes in America.
Protect Yourself From Benefits Fraud
Protecting yourself and your assets from fraud is crucial. The Secret Service provides information about skimming so you can stay updated about the techniques and devices used in the scams and how to avoid them.
The federal government works with state partners to educate families and retailers about the risks, as detailed in an article on fraud prevention. If you think you are a victim of fraud, you can:
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- Submit an online report.
- Send a letter to USDA Office of Inspector General, PO Box 23399, Washington, DC 20026-3399.
- Call in your concerns at (800) 424-9121 or (202) 690-1202.
- Contact your state representatives.
If you or someone you know experiences theft from your SNAP or EBT benefits, make sure you report it.
Congress passed the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023, in December 2022, requiring states to replace EBT and SNAP benefits that were stolen via skimming between Oct. 1, 2022, and Sept. 30, 2024, according to the Food and Nutrition Services of the U.S. Agriculture Department. The bill allows states to use federal funds to replace stolen SNAP, EBT, and Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) programs.
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