Scammer drained mom's child support card 60 times yet State said it was 'no error.' One phone call proved them wrong in 24 hours

Scams are quietly draining the pockets of Americans at an alarming rate. The latest victim of this was Pasqua Fiore, a single mother from Goshen, New York. For her, the nightmare hit close to home when thieves targeted her lifeline: her state-issued Way2Go child support card. Scammers hacked her account and emptied all of $3,495.72 from it by making 60 cash-back transactions. However, they didn't stop there. After she reported this crime and ordered a new card, they intercepted it even before it arrived in the mail. Despite this, when she contacted the State, they refused to provide her with a resolution. She then contacted ABC7's On Your Side, who helped her and published a story about the same on September 16, 2026. 

Vanishing grocery dollars

Fiore depended on a state-issued Way2Go card to buy essentials for her two young boys. Her routine, however, shattered recently when she tried to pay for groceries during her trip to the supermarket, and her card declined. "They hacked me," she said. However, she didn't know how or when that happened. It wasn't until she contacted the police along with ABC 7 that she got to know about the scam. The detectives obtained surveillance footage where the thief is seen at a store register, repeatedly buying low-cost goods and demanding $50 cash back. The suspect ran this maneuver a whopping 60 times. This drained out $3,495.72 from Fiore's account. 

Hijacked replacement card

Upon realizing what had been happening to her, Fiore thought the best route moving forward would be to cancel the card immediately. So, she did just that and ordered a replacement from the provider. She expected an alert if anyone tried to modify her personal details. However, the automated security protocols failed to protect her. The scammers redirected the shipping route and had the new card delivered to themselves. "Never got a text. I waited; it says delivered. But it wasn't delivered to my house. It was delivered to Brooklyn," Fiore stated. It was only after this that the mother of two reached out to the Goshen police department to launch a formal investigation.

A flat denial

She offered airtight alibi proof showing that she stood right before an M&T Bank teller in Goshen while the criminal made register withdrawals miles away in Brooklyn. Fiore thought this would be more than enough for her defense. However, the State overseeing the benefit closed her case, stating no error occurred. "How can I be at the bank in Goshen and be using the card in Brooklyn at the same time?" She questioned. Left without any child support for 2 whole months, Fiore felt completely lost. Running out of time and options, she then turned to ABC 7 for help.

No solution for scams

Unfortunately, this has become a common theme, as mentioned. According to a Pew Research survey, 73% had experienced at least one type of online scam or attack. The most common was fraudulent use of credit or debit card information, reported by 48% of adults. Another 29% said a personal online account had been accessed without permission, while 79% described online scams and attacks as a major problem in the United States.

A rapid media reversal

The team then reached out to Conduent, the company managing Way2Go cards, along with the New York Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance. State officials reiterated their dedication to reimbursing genuine fraud victims and recommended switching to direct deposit accounts. Conduent then reviewed the matter and released the funds twenty-four hours after the media stepped in. "I got my money back! Thank you so much; this nightmare is over," Fiore concluded.

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