Theft of SNAP food benefits are on the rise, officials warns

There has been an uptick in reports of thefts of food benefits in Massachusetts, state officials warn.

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, sometimes referred to as food stamps, are accessed through an EBT card. The most common types of theft involve data being stolen through card skimming devices placed on card machines at check-out, or phishing scams that steal the victims’ personal information, the state Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) said.

Shoppers are warned to check to see if devices show any signs of tampering before using EBT cards. EBT users can also lock their cards when they are not being used using new features available on the DTA website or app. Taking steps like regularly changing PIN numbers can also reduce the risk of any unauthorized use.

Credit card skimmers are not sophisticated, but they’re often found in places like gas pumps and grocery stores.

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Federal law had authorized the reimbursement of any benefits stolen before Dec. 20, 2024, but further funding has not been extended for any thefts past that deadline. This means it’s essential for users to protect their funds.

If your benefits are stolen, you should still report it to DTA, officials said, in case more funding is approved later. You can make those reports here.

For more tips from DTA on how to protect your benefits, click here.