New EBT Card Locking Feature Helps Fight SNAP Benefit Theft
Sadie Parker
Published Jan 26, 2026
Check out: Food Stamps: Clarifying Your Most Crucial Questions
How Are States Fighting Fraud?
States such as Connecticut and Pennsylvania are taking steps to stop benefit theft. They have added a new feature that lets people lock their EBT (Electronic Benefit Transfer) cards when they aren’t using them.
This makes it much harder for thieves to steal money from people’s accounts.
- In Connecticut, thieves stole over $6 million in benefits between October 2024 and March 2025. Because the federal government doesn't refund stolen SNAP benefits, the state made it possible for users to lock their EBT cards and stop out-of-state purchases.
- In Pennsylvania, people can use the ConnectEBT app to control their cards. Users may lock the card completely or just block it in other states. There’s also an option to set the card to lock automatically after 30, 60, or 90 minutes of not being used.
Tips to Keep Your Benefits Safe
Authorities suggest these steps to protect your benefits:
- Change your card’s PIN every month.
- Use a PIN that is not easy to guess.
- Check card readers before using your card.
- Never share your card number or PIN.
- Report anything suspicious right away.
- Lock your card at night or anytime you don’t plan to use it, since most thefts happen early in the morning.
How to Use the Card Locking Feature
To use the new locking feature:
- Download the ConnectEBT app from the App Store or Google Play.
- Log in to your account.
- Choose the “Lock/Unlock Card” option.
- Decide if you want to lock your card fully or only for out-of-state use.
- Set the auto-lock time if you want.
You can also change your PIN and watch your transactions from the app or the official website.
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Subscribe to secure your food stamps and learn more about this government benefit.
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