Oklahoma Human Services Media Alert: Card skimming affecting SNAP customers nationwide

All SNAP customers encouraged to change their PIN

OKLAHOMA CITY (Dec. 12, 2022) – Oklahoma Human Services has been notified of an increase of card skimming activity nationwide affecting Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as food stamps) customers and others who use card-reading machines (Point-of-Sale devices) at grocery stores and other retail outlets. The agency believes more than 100 Oklahoma SNAP users have been affected. This fraudulent activity doesn’t just target SNAP customers, and can affect any customer who uses a credit, debit or EBT card on a tampered card-reading device. However, for individuals and families who rely on SNAP benefits to meet their food needs, losing benefits can have a devastating impact.

Oklahoma Human Services encourages the following actions to prevent card skimming and protect SNAP EBT benefits:

• All SNAP customers should change their PIN immediately by calling 1-888-328-6551 or visiting connectebt.com.
  • The agency expects a high call volume due to this issue. If you can’t get through by phone to change your PIN, please try again a little later or use the web option.
• SNAP customers should always:
  • Keep their SNAP EBT PIN secret. Do not share your PIN with anyone outside your household. Cover the keypad when you enter your PIN on a machine.
  • Check their SNAP EBT account regularly for unauthorized charges. If you notice any unauthorized charges, change your PIN immediately to stop the thief from making any new purchases.
  • Check card reading machines (Point-of-Sale devices) to make sure there is nothing suspicious overlaid or attached to the card reader or keypad. If an individual notices any signs that a skimmer may be in use, they should alert the retailer and refrain from using the possibly compromised machine.

Oklahoma Human Services encourages customers to avoid accumulating large SNAP EBT account balances. If a SNAP EBT card is skimmed and cloned, the thief can potentially steal all of the benefits in the account. These benefits cannot be replaced. The United States Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service (USDA-FNS) prohibits replacing stolen SNAP benefits using federal funds.

SNAP customers who have been affected by card skimming or SNAP EBT benefit theft should call 1-888-328-6551 or visit connectebt.com to:

• Immediately change the PIN number, or
• Report the card as lost or stolen, and
• Request a new card

Affected SNAP customers are also encouraged to contact their local police department or sheriff’s office to file a report and contact Oklahoma Human Services Office of Inspector General (OIG) by calling (800) 784-5887 or emailing oigfraud@okdhs.org. OIG requests affected customers provide the following information:

• Customer’s name
• Case number 
• Address
• Phone number
• Date and location of benefits being stolen
• Total amount stolen
• Name of the police department or sheriff’s office to which a report was made
• Police report number

A notice is also being distributed to SNAP retailers by the USDA-FNS. Retailers who find a card skimmer or detect tampering should stop using the affected device and immediately call:

• Their local police department
• Their card-reader equipment provider
• The USDA Office of Inspector General Hotline at 1-800-424-9121

What is card skimming?

Thieves place a device on a retailer’s card-swiping machine (Point-of-Sale device) to copy customers’ card and PIN information. Card skimming can happen to anyone who uses a credit, debit or EBT card, including SNAP participants. To learn more about skimming, visit the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) skimming website.

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