Oklahoma Human Services, familiarly known as the Department of Human Services (DHS), typically gets 200 skimming or fraud complaints a month.
In October alone, the agency received 10,000 complaints of SNAP card recipients having their debit cards depleted.
Sand Springs Community Services is a food pantry that serves several hundred residents per month.
In October, the requests for help went up 46%, they believe due to the number of people scammed.
“It’s running staff more ragged in response to the need,” said Executive Director Nathan Woodmansee, who is also the organization’s only full-time employee.
Woodmansee says he has heard endless complaints about hacked cards. One woman had to leave the grocery store check out with a cart of food behind.
“They told us they had no choice but to leave everything and come here,” he said.
DHS Special Agent in Charge Michael Adams says this skimming scam has been a problem since 2022 but ramped up in October.
“Perpetrators are part of an international crime ring traveling the country, placing these skimmers on various gas stations and grocery stores,” he said.