If you are struggling to get by, an EBT card can help provide food for you and your family. But hackers are now targeting those cards leaving many people without money for food. Its why one woman called Help Me Howard with Patrick Fraser. Barbara is 85—full of thoughts and wisdom and not afraid to share them. Barbara Rado: “What are they gonna do? Put me in jail? Go for it. Put an 85-year-old in jail, go right ahead.” For example, Barbara gets government food assistance–through her EBT card. But that’s not what Barbara calls it. Barbara Rado: “i don’t care. It’s food stamps. That’s what i use it for, for food.” But after Barbara’s daughter helped her make a grocery list, a trip to the store revealed her EBT card was worthless. Barbara Rado: “How can I not have anything in there but $.93?” Barbara was hospitalized and didn’t use her EBT card in November. On December 3, someone in Brighton, Colorado stole the $275 that had accumulated on the card. Barbara Rado: “They took money. How can they take money?” At the time, Barbara thought the state didn’t deposit any money into her account. Then the crooks hacked her card and stole $100 in January. Barbara Rado: “How the hell they did it? Excuse my French, but how the heck could they do it? I have the card with me.” Terri Rosenberg: “It’s obnoxious! You know you’re basically stealing from a woman who’s just trying to survive.” Barbara contacted the police, the social services group where she signed up for her food assistance and tried to block the hackers Barbara Rado: “They canceled my card. He said, we’ll have another one to you.” She has a new card, but the state wouldn’t return her stolen money. Barbara Rado: “And I’m just sitting here with no money to buy food.” Terri Rosenberg: “I think it’s atrocious, honestly.” Barbara Rado: “And the state couldn’t care less.” But does DCF have to return money stolen from people’s cards who need it for food, Howard? Howard Finkelstein: “As of today, no. Congress allowed the law that required reimbursement of funds stolen from the food program to expire on Dec. 20. That means Barbara doesn’t get the money stolen from her EBT card in January, but she does get the $275 stolen in early December. The only catch is she has to report it within 90 days.” Dealing with Florida Department of Children and Families was not easy. After several back and forth communications, they said they were not returning the $275 stolen in December because Barbara didn’t notify them within 90 days. I replied she notified them when she got a new card and she also spoke to their investigator. DCF’s reply: She talked about the January theft and not the December theft. I then sent a letter from the social services agency Barbara reported the theft to and reminded them I sent the state the proof of the December 3 theft within the 90-day window. They said they would look into it again. Then they emailed me “We are unable to discuss an individual’s government assistance case.” Barbara says that’s because they didn’t want to explain why they refused to restore the $275 to her EBT card. Barbara Rado: “Oh I think the state is…” Better left unsaid Barbara. But she isn’t going to focus on her lost food. With the law changed, she worries what will happen when a parent with children gets hacked. Barbara Rado: “I feel bad for them. I wish I could give them and help them out and how can you do this to people? You are starving people.” I am stunned by the state. $275 they legally had to return. Like Barbara, best if I bite my tongue. Now, both times Barbara was hacked, it was from out of state. There are ways to block that and other tips to protect your EBT card. Click here for more information on those tips. A problem left you feeling cooked? Starving to find a solution? Let us bite into it and see if we can provide some food for thought. With this help me Howard, I’m Patrick Fraser 7News. FOR MORE INFO: Ways to Protect Your EBT Benefits. CONTACT HELP ME HOWARD:Email: helpmehoward@wsvn.comReporter: Patrick Fraser at pfraser@wsvn.comMiami-Dade: 305-953-WSVNBroward: 954-761-WSVN ...read more read less