CURRENT SNAP RECIPIENTS WHO HAVE LOST BENEFITS DUE TO FRAUD: Submit your claim

• by phone at 405-522-5050, 
• in-person at a Human Services Center, or 
• by mail to Oklahoma Human Services, SNAP, PO Box 25352, Oklahoma City, OK 73125. 
  
  

NON-SNAP RECIPIENTS: To apply for SNAP benefits, visit OKDHSLive.org.

OKLAHOMA CITY (July 26, 2023) – Current Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as "food stamps") recipients who have been the victim of benefit theft due to card skimming, cloning and other fraudulent methods may apply for replacement of benefits under limited circumstances. Along with other states across the country, the United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Services (USDA-FNS) recently approved Oklahoma Human Services to use federal funds to replace benefits stolen between the dates of Oct. 1, 2022 and Sept. 30, 2024. This replacement is made possible under new federal rules created with the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023.

"SNAP customers already have thinner margins and rely on their benefits to keep food on the table for their families," said Deb Smith, Director of Adult and Family Services. "SNAP benefits are not intended to pay for families’ entire grocery budgets, but they do help relieve stressors for families who may have to make the choice between food, medicine or housing costs. We are grateful for the opportunities made possible through this law and with the support of our federal partners to replace the benefits of our customers who have experienced fraud."

Beginning today, SNAP households may submit claims for benefits stolen through fraudulent means. The date of claim submission is considered the date of report. Oklahoma Human Services will consider a report timely when it is made within 30 calendar days of the date the household discovered their benefits were stolen. For retroactive claims between Oct. 1, 2022 and July 24, 2023, the deadline to submit a claim is Sept. 25, 2023.

Customers may submit claims by phone at 405-522-5050, in person at a Human Services Center or by mail at Oklahoma Human Services, SNAP, PO Box 25352, Oklahoma City, OK 73125. Agency staff will submit the electronic request form on behalf of the household upon contact. 

In order to be eligible for replacement of benefits, households must explain within their claims:

• How benefits were likely stolen,
• Whether the household had the card in their possession during the theft and 
• A list of all reported theft transactions and retailer information.

Households must attest that electronic SNAP benefits were stolen through no fault of their own. Customers are only eligible to receive two stolen benefit replacements per fiscal year, and the replacement amount cannot exceed two months of benefits. 

SNAP customers should protect their EBT cards just as they would debit or credit cards.

Oklahoma Human Services continues to encourage the following actions to prevent fraud and protect SNAP EBT benefits:

• All SNAP customers should change their PIN frequently, at least once a month, right before their benefits are issued. 
  • Customers may change their PIN by calling 1-888-328-6551 or visiting connectebt.com.
  • Call volumes may be high at times. If you cannot get through by phone to change your PIN, please try again a little later or use the web option.
    
    
• SNAP customers should never respond to text messages or calls from numbers they do not know or click links in suspicious text messages. The agency will never call or text you to ask for your Social Security number or PIN.
  • If you receive a call or text message from a number you do not recognize and they ask you to give them your personal information (Social Security number, PIN, benefit card number), DON’T DO IT.
    
    
• SNAP customers should always:
  • Avoid simple PINs. Number combinations such as 1111, 1234 or 9876 may be easy for others to guess.
  • 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.
  • 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. Under current federal rules, customers may only receive two stolen benefit replacements per fiscal year, and the amount replaced cannot exceed two months of benefits.
    
    
• Customers should call 405-522-5050 if they feel they have been a target of a fraud attempt.

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About Oklahoma Human Services
Oklahoma Human Services offers help and hope to more than 1.5 million Oklahomans each year through a wide range of services and support that promote their safety, independence and wellbeing. Learn more at https://oklahoma.gov/okdhs.html and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

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