State officials share tips to keep families protected from scams and thieves, especially during the holiday season.
The Department of Social Services is urging SNAP recipients to change their PIN numbers as EBT thefts remain high.
“We certainly recommend that you change it often, you never know when a situation could arise, when you could be a victim,” DSS Director of Program Oversight Dan Giacomi said.
DSS said thieves stole $132,455.83 in the 2023 budget year – which ends Sept. 30 annually -- but that jumped to $4.485 million last budget year.
The current year, which started Oct. 1, has already seen $1.1 million in stolen benefits.
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DSS said the problem is often thieves who place skimmers on card readers to steal SNAP recipients’ card and PIN numbers.
“It's pretty heartbreaking to see an individual come forward to say they’re not able to feed themselves or their children,” Giacomi said.
Beneficiaries can call the DSS customer service line at 1-888-328-3266 to change their PIN or to report suspicious activity.
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Congress has also provided aid to help replace stolen funds, but that money is only in place until Dec. 20.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut) is among those pushing for the federal government to extend that funding and to raise caps in reimbursements.
“For families with limited resources, SNAP benefits are a lifeline and an opportunity to access nutritious food,” Blumenthal said in a statement. “Sadly, con artists steal the benefits on which these families survive.”
Even when recipients can get money, they often need help while they wait for the refund to appear in their accounts.
Those families often rely on help from food pantries, which are also seeing increased demand from families struggling with inflation.
“What ends up happening is it’s up creating a perfect storm, which is not something we’re excited about by any stretch of the imagination,” Connecticut Foodshare President and CEO Jason Jakubowski said.
Connecticut’s grocery stores have been trying to deter thieves, using stickers that can show when someone has tampered with a card reader.
Still, they’re urging vigilance during the holiday season because the increased number of shoppers creates more opportunities for thieves.
