Butler police probe EBT card compromises tied to Main Street Dollar General

Butler City Police opened an investigation in early March after residents reported unauthorized transactions on their Electronic Benefits Transfer cards, and every affected shopper told investigators they had used their EBT card at the Dollar General Market on Main Street in Butler. Police have searched the store and found no skimmer device, but investigators say that does not rule out the location as the point of compromise.

Local reports differ on the scope of the fraud: Channel 11 reported, “Butler Police have about a dozen calls so far from people saying their EBT cards are compromised and being used in eastern Pennsylvania,” while ButlerRadio’s March 6 update said police have received about 20 reports and “believe this is part of a larger national issue.” ButlerRadio added that investigators think “sometime during the last 30 to 60 days, someone placed and then removed a card skimmer at the Dollar General on Main Street in Butler as well as the Sunoco on East Jefferson Street,” though searches at both stores turned up no devices.

Police and local media said compromised cards later showed charges in eastern Pennsylvania, with ButlerRadio describing “minimal charges made on the east side of the state.” Authorities cautioned that the absence of a physical skimmer during inspections does not eliminate the possibility the stores were used to capture card data.

The financial and human impact has been immediate for some residents. Hoodline, citing Channel 11 coverage, quoted Patricia Cornetti: “They drained $270 off my account,” and said the loss left her feeling “physically and mentally sick.” Channel 11 also quoted retiree Howard Undercuffer: “I was upset,” and “Money’s hard to make, especially when you’re retired,” adding, “You only get so much.” Shelby Loos of Butler County told Channel 11 she worries most for neighbors who depend on the Main Street store: “They walk here with wagons, and this is their only source to buy food, so now they have to worry about the source, where they’re going to be targeted, and now they don’t have any money at all.”

Butler County Human Services is assisting affected residents, and state welfare officials have advised consumers to use the tap function for credit and debit payments where available and to use the EBT app to lock cards or block out-of-state purchases. Hoodline published contact numbers for reporting and replacement: the Office of State Inspector General at 1-800-932-0582 and Conduent at 1-888-328-7366 to request a replacement EBT card. Channel 11 also reported the Butler County Assistance Office briefly had a broken card-replacement machine, and the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services said a new unit was expected, a delay that could affect how quickly some residents receive new cards.

Investigators continue to collect reports and ask anyone who made a purchase at the Main Street Dollar General within the last 48 hours to monitor bank, credit, debit and EBT accounts and to report unauthorized transactions to Butler City Police. In December 2024, Channel 11 noted, “the federal government stopped reimbursing SNAP benefits that were lost due to skimming and phishing scams. So those stolen funds are gone,” raising the stakes for affected SNAP recipients as the probe continues.