Theft of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits is on the rise in the Greater Philadelphia Area, targeting and robbing low-income families of the grocery money they need to put food on the table. SNAP benefits are increasingly being stolen through skimming, scam text messages, or other phishing schemes to gain access to the victim’s Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card number and PIN. This has become a widespread problem in our communities and nationwide.
“Skimming” is when criminals install illegal devices on card readers, which capture card data during check out, and use that information to drain money out of the victims’ accounts. SNAP skimming can occur because EBT cards do not have the same security protections as credit and debit cards, such as chip technology.
Thankfully, STOLEN SNAP BENEFITS ARE CURRENTLY ABLE TO BE REPLACED, and Philabundance and our partners are here to help provide immediate food assistance in the meantime. Keep reading to learn how.
WHAT TO DO IF YOUR BENEFITS ARE STOLEN
If your SNAP benefits were stolen from your EBT account through card skimming or other fraudulent means, your benefits can be replaced. Note: Benefits are currently able to be replaced through Congressional legislation, which expires on December 20, 2024. Benefits stolen after December 20, 2024 will not be able to be replaced unless Congress takes action.
Pennsylvania Residents:
Take the following actions to recover your stolen SNAP benefits:
- Change your PIN number right away to prevent further theft by calling the EBT hotline on the back of your card.
- Report the theft and file a claim for replacement benefits by either:
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- Filling out this claim form online
- Using this PDF form, and uploading it to your case through the COMPASS website, the My COMPASS PA app, or sending it to your County Assistance Office
- Calling your County Assistance Office
- Calling the DHS Customer Service Center at 1-877-395-8930 (215-560-7226 for Philadelphia residents) to receive a claim form in the mail that you can complete and mail in
Timeline of Benefits Replacement:
- You must report the theft and file a claim within 60 days from the date of theft.
- DHS will take up to 30 days to investigate your claim. They will then mail you a notice telling you if they approved or denied your claim.
- If approved, you will receive your replacement benefits on your EBT card within 10 days from the day of approval (at most, 40 days from the day you filed your claim).
New Jersey Residents:
Take the following actions to recover your stolen SNAP benefits:
- Change your PIN number right away to prevent further theft by calling DHS Customer Service at 1-800-997-3333 or online at www.NJFamiliesFirst.com. You have the option to request a replacement card, or just re-PIN your current card.
- Report the theft and file a claim for replacement benefits by either:
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- Filling out this PDF form and mailing it or dropping it off in-person to your County Social Service Agency, or emailing it to DFD.Firm@dhs.nj.gov
- Calling your County Social Service Agency and completing a form over the phone
Timeline of Benefits Replacement:
- You must report the theft and file a claim within 30 days from the date of discovering the theft.
- DHS has 10 calendar days to investigate a claim.
- If approved, you will receive your replacement benefits within 2 business days of the claim’s approval.
HOW PHILABUNDANCE CAN HELP
While stolen SNAP benefits are currently able to be replaced, Philabundance can help meet the immediate need for food while your replacement is being processed:
- Visit our FIND FOOD MAP for food pantries nearest you.
- If you are a victim of stolen SNAP benefits in need of emergency food, contact advocacy@philabundance.org
HOW TO PROTECT YOUR BENEFITS
These tips can help keep your SNAP benefits safe from skimming and scams:
- Keep your SNAP EBT PIN a secret. Do not share your PIN with anyone outside your household. Cover the keypad when you enter your PIN on a machine. It is recommended to change your PIN every month or so.
- Check your SNAP EBT account regularly for unauthorized charges. If you see an unauthorized charge, change your EBT PIN immediately to stop the thief from making any new purchases.
- Check card reading machines to make sure there’s nothing suspicious overlayed or attached to the card swiper or keypad. Though the skimming device can be difficult to detect, look for anything loose, crooked, damaged, or scratched. The skimming device may hide parts of the machine. Don’t use any card reader if you notice anything unusual.
- Do not click suspicious links in text messages or emails regarding your EBT card. DHS will never reach out asking for your PIN. Be suspicious of any text messages that suggest that your benefits have stopped or that your card has been deactivated. When in doubt about the status of your benefits, call the number on the back of your EBT card or contact your County Assistance Office.
THE NEED FOR PERMANENT PROTECTION
EBT cards do not have the legal consumer protections in place that credit cards and debit cards do. When SNAP benefits theft became more common, Congress passed temporary legislation allowing the replacement of stolen benefits. But this temporary measure expires December 20, 2024. Unless Congress acts, benefits stolen after that date will not be able to be replaced. We need a permanent solution to protect SNAP participants from benefits theft.
Congress is currently debating the Farm Bill, which provides a key opportunity to improve SNAP. Join Philabundance in advocating for Fairness for Victims of SNAP Skimming Act – which would permanently extend replacement benefits for EBT card skimming – and the Enhanced Cybersecurity for SNAP Act – which would require all EBT cards to have chip technology to prevent theft. Contact your members of Congress to tell them that strengthening the SNAP program and protecting SNAP participants from theft matters to you.
If you are a victim of SNAP skimming, your legislators need to hear from you! Share your story and the importance of permanently strengthening protections for EBT cards.
