Beginning May 13, a new fraud protection feature will be added to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) EBT cards, including Summer EBT/Sun Bucks cards, to help protect benefits from theft, according to the Summit County Executive’s Office.
The update will automatically place cards in a “Block High-Risk Transactions” status. This added protection is designed to reduce fraud, particularly unauthorized online purchases and transactions made outside of Ohio.
Ohio Department of Job and Family Services Director Matt Damschroder stated in a recent media release that the additional anti-fraud measures include requiring individuals to unlock their card to complete out-of-state or online purchases.
“Criminals from other states and online continue to prey on vulnerable Ohioans who rely on food assistance to feed their families,” Damschroder said. “The new automatic card-lock feature will require customers to unlock their card when making an out-of-state or online purchase. It’s a simple step that still allows for out-of-state and online purchases while dramatically reducing the risk of theft.”
Cardholders can continue to use their EBT cards at Ohio grocery stores as they do today, according to the Summit County Executive’s Office. There is no change to in-state shopping.
However, if a cardholder plans to make a purchase online or outside of Ohio, they will need to temporarily remove the block before completing the transaction. The block can be turned off and back on at any time using the ConnectEBT mobile app, the website at www.connectebt.com, or the customer service line at 1-866-386-3071. Support is available 24 hours a day.
While cardholders are encouraged to immediately relock their card, they will be prompted to set a time period — 30, 60, or 90 minutes — to automatically relock the card, according to ODJFS.
This update comes in response to ongoing incidents of electronic benefit theft, where criminals use stolen card information to access benefits, according to the Summit County Executive’s Office. The new feature provides an added layer of protection for cardholders without requiring action for everyday use.
State identifies 56,000 suspicious out-of-state SNAP transactions in past 6 months
By analyzing card usage, purchasing trends, and reports of skimming of benefits, the state has determined a large volume of skimming is taking place at out-of-state retailers or online providers, according to the ODJFS. The state is able to see trends across multiple states and geographical locations, which led to the decision to change the default settings to block the highest risk transactions.
In the past six months alone, the ODJFS SNAP fraud analytics team identified nearly 56,000 suspicious out‑of‑state transactions affecting 12,900 Ohio EBT accounts, totaling more than $6.3 million.
According to ODJFS’ SNAP fraud analytics team, Pennsylvania currently accounts for the largest share of suspicious activity (35%), followed by New York (26%), Illinois (19%), and New Jersey (10%). Most of these transactions occur online and after midnight.
Most SNAP fraud can be linked to a tactic known as skimming, according to the ODJFS. Criminals use skimming devices placed over point-of-sale card readers to steal card information. When a recipient swipes their card on a compromised device, their card data is captured and later used for fraudulent transactions.
How can SNAP benefit recipients avoid being scammed?
“The best way for everyone to secure their benefits is to opt in to the ‘lock everywhere’ feature, and that is something that cardholders can do today,” Damschroder said. “When the new security enhancements go into effect in May, most cardholders will experience minimal impacts from this change. A vast majority of cardholders do not use their benefits online or out-of-state. And even if they might need to, manually unlocking your card is fast and straightforward.
“What these security enhancements will do, however, is block the highest-risk transactions, deter criminals, and reduce fraud — ultimately safeguarding taxpayer dollars.”
Cardholders who want additional security may also choose to use the “Lock Everywhere” feature, which blocks all transactions until the card is manually unlocked, according to the Summit County Executive’s Office.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: New feature on Ohio SNAP cards will block online, out-of-state charges
Reporting by April Helms, Akron Beacon Journal / Akron Beacon Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
