More than 1.7 million Pennsylvanians who receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits will soon receive EBT cards with chip technology as the state works to combat theft targeting recipients.
The problem affects SNAP recipients across Pennsylvania, including about 400,000 people in Philadelphia.
The new cards are intended to provide additional security against thieves who use skimming devices to steal benefit funds.
For Northeast Philadelphia resident Mickayla Hileman, the theft had an immediate impact.
“I go to the store, I use my EBT card, and all of my money is gone,” Hileman said.
She told us she was unable to recover the lost money.
“I was not able to get reimbursed or anything,” she said.
That comes after the federal government ended authorization to replace stolen benefits in December 2024.
“That’s all my money to feed my children. What am I gonna do?” Hileman said.
She said others in her community have faced similar losses.
“I had $800 stolen and my mom had about $200 stolen. Someone down the street, they had about $178 stolen,” Hileman said.
SNAP recipients receive benefits through Electronic Benefits Transfer, or EBT, cards. Current cards use magnetic stripes that require users to swipe them.
Authorities say thieves install skimming devices where the cards are used, allowing them to capture card information and eventually steal benefits. Pennsylvania Inspector General Michelle Henry told Action News that the skimmers can be installed in under four seconds.”
She also said that the Inspector General’s Office has instituted a full-time dedicated skimming response team.
Henry says that team has helped cancel 58,000 EBT cards before money was stolen, preventing losses of more than $34 million.
State officials also announced plans to upgrade EBT cards with chip technology, which is more secure.
“We have now begun the process to modernize, strengthen, and protect our EBT cards here in the Commonwealth,” said Pennsylvania Department of Human Services Secretary Val Arkoosh.
Pennsylvania plans to begin distributing the new cards in late spring. Until then, officials recommend SNAP recipients protect their PINs, change them regularly and avoid sharing them with others.
They also encourage recipients to use the free ConnectEBT app to lock benefits when they are not being used.
States that have already adopted chip-enabled EBT cards have reported theft reductions of about 80%, officials said.
If SNAP funds are stolen, recipients should immediately cancel the card, request a replacement and file reports with both police and the Office of Inspector General, officials said.
To download the ConnectEBT app go to one of these links:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.conduent.ebt&hl=en_US
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/connectebt/id1241215610
And here’s what to do if your SNAP benefits are stolen from your EBT card, according to the PA Department of Human Services:
If benefits are stolen, a replacement EBT card should be requested as soon as possible from EBT contractor Conduent at 888-328-7366, or by visiting a PA DHS County Assistance Office. SNAP is entirely federally funded, and due to the end of Congressional authorization of funds to replace stolen benefits, benefits stolen after December 20, 2024, cannot be reissued by PA DHS.
For immediate food needs, Pennsylvanians can call 211 or visit www.pa211.org to connect with various local food resources and can also visit www.feedingpa.org to find local food banks and other food assistance programs.
Individuals in need can also visit pa-navigate.org/ for help finding food and other resource assistance.
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