From ABC7 New York · · 1m 50s
A mom’s child support card was drained twice
A Goshen mother lost nearly $3,500 from her child support card, then got help after her fraud claim was denied.
In brief
A Goshen mother lost nearly $3,500 from her child support card, then got help after her fraud claim was denied. Debit benefit card fraud can move fast, so document every detail, file reports quickly, and push for review when the evidence does not match the denial. Originally reported by ABC7 New York.
A lifeline card failed
Pasqua Fiore, a single mother in Goshen, depends on a Way2Go debit card for child support payments. While buying groceries, her payment was suddenly declined.
“When the money comes in, I need it. I need it for my kids.”
Police called it a scam
Fiore filed a report with Goshen police. Chief Ryan Rich said debit cards loaded with social service money are often targeted by thieves.
“It's a scam. It's a pretty common scam.”
Small buys, repeated cash back
Police said surveillance showed someone making low-priced purchases and taking $50 cash back each time. The transactions repeated about 60 times.
Nearly $3,500 disappeared
Fiore’s transaction history ran for pages. In all, $3,495.72 in child support funds was drained from the card.
“You could see they're all done within a minute apart.”
The replacement was hijacked
Fiore canceled the card and ordered a new one. She said the replacement was delivered to Brooklyn after account information was changed, but she never got the promised alert.
“Never got a text.”
Her alibi was clear
Fiore had proof she was at an M&T bank teller in Goshen when the card was being used at a register in Flatbush, Brooklyn.
“How can I be at the bank in Goshen and be using the card in Brooklyn at the same time?”
The claim was denied
Even with police involvement and location evidence, the state agency managing the benefit wrote that no error occurred. Fiore went two months without child support money.
“Emotionally, it broke me down.”
Agencies responded to questions
7 On Your Side contacted New York’s Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance and Conduent, which manages Way2Go cards. Both said fraud reports are taken seriously.
The money came back
One day after 7 On Your Side contacted the parties involved, Fiore said the missing $3,500 was restored to her account.
“I got my money back!”
The main idea
Debit benefit card fraud can move fast, so document every detail, file reports quickly, and push for review when the evidence does not match the denial.
