'They point their fingers': This Chicago-area grocer was attacked online after scammers shopped at his store using money stolen from SNAP recipients in Texas who had ‘never been to Illinois’

When innocent businesses are hurt by fraud

Unfortunately, it’s not difficult for criminals to steal people's SNAP benefits. The process is similar to stealing a credit card or debit card number.

Criminals can use skimming devices and hidden cameras to capture SNAP EBT data. EBT is the electronic system that lets SNAP users pay for purchases using their benefits. Think of it as a SNAP-specific debit card.

Once criminals have that data, they can replicate actual SNAP EBT cards and use whatever funds are on them to buy things for themselves. That's what happened at Nazari's Chicago-area store.

When the situation became clear, customers started writing negative reviews online about Alsham Supermarket and Bakery stealing their money. Nazari was upset when he saw the accusations.

"I have been here five years, working very hard on this store," he told CBS News. "We're working hard here to get good reviews, good staff, good inventory."

Nazari tried contacting some of the people who wrote negative reviews about his business.

"I start asking them over the phone questions like, 'Somebody stole your card? Or you give your card to someone?'" he told CBS News. "And they said, 'No, we have the card in the hand.'"

Two of the people whose SNAP benefits were used at Nazari's store live in Houston. In late February, Kimberley Edwards tried to use her SNAP benefits at a local store and was told by the cashier that she only had $13 left.

"It was just devastating," she told CBS News. "My main concern was, how was I going to supply food for my son?"

When Edwards checked to see where her balance had gone, she saw a $432 transaction for Alsham Supermarket and Bakery. "I've never been to Illinois," she said.

Something similar happened to another Texas resident, Lakeda Cunningham, in April. "I went to Dollar General to purchase drinks, and when I swiped the card and put the code in, the cashier told me that it was insufficient funds," Cunningham told CBS News. "I was like, 'That's not possible because my money just posted on April 18th, six days ago."

It turned out someone had used Cunningham's SNAP benefits to charge $162.11 at Alsham Supermarket and Bakery that same day. "I've never been to Illinois," Cunningham said. "Period."

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How businesses can avoid SNAP fraud

The USDA says that in the fourth quarter of 2024, approximately 446,000 fraudulent SNAP transactions were reported, affecting almost 144,000 households.

In Illinois, SNAP fraud has been a huge issue. From October 2022 to December 2024, almost $21 million in SNAP benefits were stolen, CBS News reported, citing data from the Illinois Department of Human Services.

That amounted to almost 124,000 fraudulent transactions and impacted over 38,000 households. The state urges anyone experiencing SNAP fraud to report it here.

But while SNAP fraud clearly has the potential to hurt the program's beneficiaries, it can also hurt innocent retailers, including small businesses like Alsham Supermarket and Bakery.

Part of the reason Nazari's store was targeted was that he carries an array of expensive and unique items — something that could attract customers and criminals equally.

Jim Morley, assistant special agent-in-charge with the U.S. Secret Service in Chicago, told CBS News that stores like Nazari's tend to be popular with scammers because their inventory isn't just pricey but also hard to find elsewhere.

"Oftentimes, we see a particular store getting targeted because they're selling merchandise that the criminal is able to resell," Morley explained.

Nazari, meanwhile, is taking steps to prevent future SNAP fraud at his business now that he's aware of the issue. He filed a report with the Lombard police as a starting point.

He also gave them video and receipt copies related to the fraud Cunningham experienced in the hopes of helping law enforcement catch the scammer. He also installed 12 security cameras.

The USDA has tips for retailers to help prevent SNAP fraud. It says to inspect point-of-sale machines and PIN pads regularly for tampering or skimming devices.

It also suggests using cameras to monitor checkout areas and never allowing unscheduled service visits for point-of-sale equipment.

The USDA also urges retailers to train employees to spot suspicious behavior. Charging a large amount of luxury items on a SNAP EBT card could be one red flag.

Finally, any retailer that thinks it has been targeted by SNAP scammers should contact local law enforcement and its point-of-sale equipment provider. It should also call the USDA Office of Inspector General Hotline at 1-800-424-9121.