According to the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, over 2,400 SNAP benefit requests have been reported stolen in the state since the beginning of this year. It is uncertain how many of these requests are related to the recent card skimming scam aimed at these benefits.
In the past few days, numerous individuals residing in the Delaware Valley as well as those outside the area have reached out to CBS News Philadelphia to share their stories.
On Tuesday, Takiyah Holmes found herself speechless. She recounted how her SNAP benefits were stolen and used at various stores in New York City, leaving her with only $0.25 in cash assistance.
Holmes exclaimed, “I have never been to New York in my life, but I did drive through it.”
According to Holmes, she promptly notified both the Delaware County Assistance Office and the police about the fraudulent activity. Although she has been issued a new EBT card, she is still awaiting the receipt of her benefits.
Vanda Jones, a single mother residing in New York City, shared a comparable experience where her account’s benefits were also depleted last week.
Jones expressed his thought that it could be a mistake.
According to Jones, the fraudulent transactions occurred in stores located in Philadelphia and Reading, cities she has never visited. In response, Jones took action by filing a police report and submitting a complaint at her local assistance office.
Jones recalled that everyone in the office was present because their benefits had been stolen, and not a single person was there to apply for them. She found it odd that everyone was there for the same reason and couldn’t help but think that it was a strange situation.
They are both seeking answers and eagerly anticipating the arrival of replacement benefits.
According to a spokesperson from the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, their team is committed to ensuring that the benefits they administer reach those who require them. As mandated by federal regulation (7 CFR § 274.6(a)), the department provides replacement SNAP benefits in cases where they have been electronically stolen, or if a household has lost food during a natural disaster such as a flood or tornado, or a tragic event like a fire.
What can I do if my SNAP benefits were stolen?
New York EBT cardholders have been advised by a spokesperson from the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance to remain cautious of potential scams.
“OTDA takes seriously any report of benefit theft and continues to work in close collaboration with local, state, and federal authorities to provide any information they require that will help bring perpetrators to justice. All EBT cardholders, however, should remain vigilant about these scams and take several basic precautions to protect themselves, including carefully inspecting point-of-sale devices, changing their PIN regularly, reviewing transaction history frequently, and freezing their card immediately after use.”
According to a spokesperson from the New Jersey Department of Human Services, the Division of Family Development’s budget has allocated funds for the provision of SNAP benefit recipients with new EBT cards fitted with microchips. The primary objective of this initiative is to prioritize families in receiving the full value of their benefits while also bolstering security measures. The spokesperson’s statement, as reported by CBS News Philadelphia, reads as follows:
“Theft of SNAP household benefits has been on the rise nationwide. We understand the impact that falling victim to this type of fraud can have on individuals and families who rely on these benefits to purchase groceries. On December 29, 2022, the President signed the Consolidated Appropriations Act into law, allowing states to replenish lost benefits. Prior to this law being signed, states had no authority to replace benefits that had been stolen from a SNAP household. The program to replace electronically stolen benefits was launched in New Jersey in July 2023. The program has allowed for the replacement of benefits that had been stolen since October 2022 through the end of September 2024. The Governor’s budget for the next fiscal year includes $1.65 million in funding for the Division of Family Development to provide households with new EBT cards that have embedded microchips, which prioritizes families getting the full value of their benefits and enhances card security. Since the replacement program started, $5 million in electronically stolen benefits have been replaced in response to about 10,000 claims. To further protect SNAP beneficiaries against these types of scams, the Department has added a pop-up fraud warning on NJSNAP.gov. Individuals impacted can notify their local board of social services if they have been a victim of skimming.”
To ensure the security and safety of EBT cardholders, a spokesperson from the NYC Department of Social Services Human Resources Administration has provided some valuable tips.
“Electronic benefits theft is a cruel and malicious practice that targets some of New York City’s most vulnerable residents and deprives them of the critical resources they need to keep themselves and their families healthy, fed, and housed. To defend against skimming, phishing, and other scams, EBT cardholders should regularly change their PIN, monitor their EBT account for suspicious transactions, avoid sharing their card details, and closely inspect card readers for evidence of a skimming device. We also recommend that cardholders begin utilizing the new EBT card freeze feature that allows them to block transactions when their card is not in use. “Since replacement benefits became available last summer, we have approved over 65,000 claims, totaling over $26 million, in replacement Cash Assistance and SNAP benefits. We are proud to have been able to reconnect these individuals with the benefits that are rightfully theirs, and we look forward [to] helping more New Yorkers recoup their stolen benefits. The fastest and easiest way to submit a claim is through DSS-HRA’s online form, but individuals can also submit a claim through the mail, or in-person at their local SNAP or Benefits Access Center.”
If you reside in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, or Delaware and are a recipient of SNAP benefits, and you have observed a depletion in your EBT balance, there are certain steps that you can take immediately.