Albany County officials on Monday warned of a rise in SNAP benefit thefts.
The county Department of Social Services said there’s been an increase in “benefit skimming.” That’s when a device is illegally installed on a card reader and records not only card data, but a person’s PIN.
Skimming can also occur if a store installs a fraudulent EBT card point-of-sale machine, which is much harder to detect and often not known until your benefits have been stolen.Â
Officials said the best way to protect yourself is to change your PIN frequently and avoid using the same PIN for multiple accounts.Â
You can also can download the ConnectEBT app to lock your card following any possible theft.
If your benefits have been skimmed, you report it to your local police department and reach out to the Albany County Department of Social Services at (518) 447-7300 to request a replacement of your EBT card.
Source link
