Good News for Families: Food Stamp Theft Reimbursement Extended
Michael Nguyen
Published Oct 1, 2024
More than 2,600 families in Oklahoma had their food stamps, or SNAP benefits, stolen this past year. The money to pay them back was going to stop at the end of September. But, because some lawmakers worked together, they got a new rule passed that lets the payments continue.
Hope Hansen, a young woman who needs SNAP benefits to help buy food, was one of the victims. She has a condition called Williams Syndrome and gets $237 a month from SNAP.
When she went grocery shopping, her card didn't work because someone in New York had taken her benefits. She felt really confused and sad about it, especially because she had to leave all her groceries behind.
Many people have had the same thing happen to them. Oklahoma Human Services says that the SNAP cards are supposed to work in all states, so they can't just block transactions from other places.
But there are some ways to keep your card safe:
- Make a PIN that's hard to guess.
- Use the ConnectEBT app to lock your card when you’re not using it.
- Don't tell anyone your card information.
- If someone texts or calls you for your card number, don't answer them.
- Check the card reader at the store to make sure it hasn't been tampered with.
Read More: Safeguarding Your EBT Benefits: Tactics to Dodge Theft and Protect Your Data
The Oklahoma Department of Human Services is also working on getting new chip cards for SNAP, which will help stop theft. These should be available by the summer of 2025.
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Previous Article: Getting Your SNAP Benefits in October: When to Expect Them
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