USDA (the United States Department of Agriculture) reminds SNAP beneficiaries they can replace stolen benefits from October 1, 2023 and September 30, 2024.
Thanks to a law passed by Congress, SNAP recipients can claim their SNAP benefits if stolen. In fact, there are different ways scammers can steal your Food Stamps in 2024.
TYPES OF SNAP THEFTS IN 2024
USDA claims that the most common methods to steal Food Stamps money on EBT cards are card cloning and card skimming. Of course, there are other similar ways to steal these benefits.
The good thing for beneficiaries is that there are federal funds to make up for these stolen SNAP benefits. For your information, replacement benefits cannot exceed a certain amount.
For example, if you lost $1,000, replacement benefits cannot exceed it. What is more, it cannot exceed your household’s Food Stamp allotment either, but for the two months preceding the scam. So, whoever is lesser.
WHAT TO DO IF YOUR SNAP BENEFITS WERE STOLEN
First of all, you must report it to your local Food Stamp office. You could use the State Directory of Resources to find information and contact details about your local Food Stamp office.
USDA has a website for that purpose. Visit https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/state-directory and click on the State where you live in. Then, a full list of phone numbers, websites, and retailers will be available. In order to avoid scams and thefts, you should follow USDA’s tips. For instance, you should get rid of a simple PIN.
If your PIN is 1234 or 1111, it may be quite simple for thieves to get the money from your EBT card. Never reveal your PIN or car number. Do not give information over the phone that could put your EBT card money at risk. Check your EBT account regularly and change your PIN. Call your office if stolen.
