Florida man says thieves stole $2,800 in SNAP benefits from EBT card, spent funds hundreds of miles away: "I was frozen"

South Florida resident Haresh Pahilwani says he was shocked when his EBT card was declined at checkout.

"I really don't know how this happened," Pahilwani told CBS News Miami.

Pahilwani receives SNAP benefits, commonly known as food stamps, and says he typically does not spend all of the money loaded onto his card each month.

"I don't spend everything at one time," he said.

That's why he became concerned on May 31 when his card stopped working.

After reviewing his account activity, Pahilwani discovered more than $2,800 in SNAP benefits had been spent at Target stores and supermarkets in Maryland, hundreds of miles from his South Florida home, all in a single day.

Pahilwani says he still had his EBT card in his possession at the time and was driving for Uber in Florida when the transactions occurred.

"I was frozen," he said. "I had to re-log into my account to see if it was true or if I was dreaming."

He immediately contacted the Florida Department of Children and Families, which administers SNAP benefits in the state.

Pahilwani said his original card was canceled and replaced, but he was told the stolen benefits would not automatically be restored.

CBS News Miami reached out to DCF for comment and is awaiting a response.

"I really want to know how this happened," Pahilwani said. "I called the police department and I went to the police department, and they won't take it because it's federal."

Jocelyn Armand, an attorney with Legal Services of Greater Miami, says cases like Pahilwani's have become increasingly common.

"This is something we see regularly," Armand said.

She says criminals often obtain EBT card information through skimming devices and then clone cards to make fraudulent purchases.

While SNAP benefits are federally funded, Armand says states largely determine whether stolen benefits will be reimbursed.

"There is not a state-specific fund to reimburse stolen benefits, so sometimes there is no resolution to that," Armand said.

Her office helps SNAP recipients file claims seeking reimbursement, but she says approval is not guaranteed.

Armand recommends cardholders take advantage of security features now available through many EBT systems.

"You can actually block it from being used and then reactivate it when you're going to use it," Armand said. "You can also block transactions that are out of state."

Pahilwani says he has since updated his account settings to include those protections.

CBS News Miami also contacted the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which oversees the SNAP program. A spokesperson said the agency does not know how Pahilwani's card information was compromised but noted that the administration is pushing for stronger EBT card security measures to combat fraud.

For now, Pahilwani says he is still searching for answers and hoping to recover the money meant to help pay for groceries.

"I really want to know how this happened," he said.