NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — Gov. Kathy Hochul on Thursday urged New Yorkers who receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, benefits to take precautions against thieves who use skimming devices to steal benefits from people's EBT cards.
"It is unconscionable that thieves are stealing SNAP benefits from some of our most vulnerable New Yorkers," Hochul said in a statement. "I urge all EBT card users to stay vigilant and protect themselves, and I thank Senator [Kristen] Gillibrand and the New York Congressional delegation for their efforts to address what has become a national problem."
The governor also thanked the delegation for their efforts in securing two years of federal funding to provide additional help to SNAP participants whose benefits had been stolen.
When shopping, consumers should inspect the card reader for an overlay device that may hide parts of the machine or anything unusual like glue marks or damaged or loose parts. If anyone suspects something is wrong with the machine, they should not use their card, notify a store manager, and contact their local department of social services as well as the local police.
Additionally, EBT card users should:
• Protect their benefits by shielding the PIN pad when entering their PIN.
• Change their PIN frequently and do not share it. It is best to change the PIN immediately after each transaction.
• Check their EBT account regularly for unauthorized charges.
• If a transaction is unexpectedly declined or a user receives an error code, contact the EBT Customer Services Helpline to verify the transactions on the account.
As the skimming devices otherwise allow legitimate transactions to proceed unimpeded, victims are typically unaware that they have been victimized until their next attempted purchase or account balance review.
Anyone who believes their benefits have been stolen should contact the EBT Customer Services Helpline at 1-888-328-6399 or go to ConnectEBT.com, and report it so they can get a new card.
Suspected victims should also contact their local department of social services to report that their benefits have been stolen and file a police report with their local police department.
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