Rapidly growing scam siphons nearly $200,000 in 2 weeks from Oregon’s poorest families

In the first half of September, thieves reportedly stole the food and cash benefits from 424 low-income Oregonians or their families by increasingly using a particularly sneaky technique: debit card skimmers placed over a store’s payment machines.

The number of Oregonians who reportedly fell victim in the roughly two-week period far exceeds the number — 285 — in all of July and August combined, state officials said Tuesday.

All victims were among Oregon’s neediest, enrolled in two governmental support programs — the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). About $188,000 has been reported stolen so far this month, a roughly 50% increase from the total amount reported stolen in all of July and August, when about $125,000 in benefits was reported stolen.

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