DANVILLE, Va. (WSET) — The Danville Department of Social Services is urging SNAP recipients to take steps to protect their EBT cards following reports that benefits issued on Wednesday, July 1, were stolen through fraudulent scam activity.
According to the city, a significant number of SNAP recipients have reported unauthorized use of their benefits. The Virginia Department of Social Services is now investigating to determine the scope of the issue.
SEE ALSO: Lynchburg General Hospital implements new weapons detection system in emergency department
Any SNAP recipient who believes their benefits were stolen should contact their local Social Services department immediately to report the incident and request a new EBT card.
To help prevent further theft, recipients are encouraged to use the lock/unlock feature available on EBT accounts.
MANAGEMENT & CULTURE (THE “TONE AT THE TOP”)
Fraud thrives in “sloppy” environments where leadership ignores the rules.
- The Fraud Triangle: For fraud to occur, three elements must be present: Pressure (the need for money), Rationalization (thinking “I deserve this”), and Opportunity (weak controls). You can only control the Opportunity.
- Whistleblower Hotline: Provide an anonymous way for staff to report “odd behavior.” Most internal frauds are caught via tips, not audits.
- Background Checks: Conduct credit and criminal record checks for all employees in financial or data-sensitive roles.
- Annual Ethics Training: Make sure every staff member knows that the company has a Zero Tolerance policy toward “borrowing” from petty cash or fudging overtime.