FITCHBURG, Mass. — The very day Dori Krikorian’s benefits deposit hit her account, she says it was just as quickly stolen.
When she called the Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA), the agency that distributes SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits, she learned her EBT (Electronic Benefits Transfer) card had been fraudulently used in New York and the nearly $300 she needed for food was gone.
“It’s hard. It’s hard for people. I’m on disability as well. I’m on a limited income. I need this help, and I depend on it,” Krikorian said. “Who does this? Normal people don’t do this to other people, especially people in need. I mean, that’s the lowest of the low.”
Kirkorian, who filed a report with Fitchburg police, believes her EBT card was compromised by a skimming device at a local supermarket, the only store she uses her card.
A representative of the store told Boston 25 News they are confident the crime did not occur there, as they have installed physical mechanisms on their card readers to prevent skimming and they use surveillance to monitor possible criminal activity.
But DTA tells Boston 25 News cases of EBT skimming and phishing are soaring. Claims of SNAP benefits theft have surged from 2,697 in December to 5,968 in January – a 121-percent increase.
Unfortunately for victims, the federal government is no longer replacing stolen benefits as of Dec. 20, 2024, after Congress failed to extend a deadline for reimbursement.
Mass. Sen. Robyn Kennedy and Rep. Sally Kerans have filed bills to help victims recoup their stolen benefits.
“It’s certainly a tragedy that people are actually stealing food literally from the mouths of babies, from children,” Kennedy said. “What this legislation does is require the state of Massachusetts to be able to reimburse SNAP recipients for stolen benefits.”
An estimated $1 million a month is needed for the state to cover the thousands of victims being ripped off.
EBT cards must be swiped, making them more vulnerable to scams than cards with chip-tap technology.
Massachusetts is currently under contract with a vendor that does not provide the chip-tap technology for EBT cards, but the state is working toward an upgrade.
“It’s really disturbing when there’s abuse of any government program. But abusing and stealing from people who depend on SNAP benefits to feed themselves, feed their children is truly abhorrent,” Kerans said. “These people are now without grocery money. So, this legislation would replace those benefits at least until we get this chip technology. And I’m hoping that we’ll get there sooner rather than later.”
DTA urges SNAP recipients to utilize a new card-locking feature between purchases to prevent anyone else from accessing their account.
The agency also recommends clients change their PIN frequently.
Krikorian, who is fortunate to have the help of family and friends, worries that seniors who are not tech-savvy and those without the support of loved ones will go without food if they, too, are scammed.
“I depend on this money, along with a lot of other people. So, what are we supposed to do? What can we do? I just don’t want it to happen to someone else,” Krikorian said. “It just seems like we’re second-class citizens, that this isn’t being taken seriously enough, that our funds aren’t being protected.”
For a list of ways to secure your EBT card, visit: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/securing-your-ebt-card
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