Food stamp scammers are stealing millions of dollars of New Yorkers’ nutrition benefits, according to local elected officials.
The fraud happens when people with Electronic Benefit Transfer cards unknowingly use card readers that steal their personal information and drain their accounts, said state Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani, who represents parts of Queens.
In the last six months, more than 61,000 New Yorkers have submitted a claim of EBT fraud, a spokesperson for the city’s Department of Social Services said. The agency has helped recover over $19 million of those stolen funds.
“It’s a crisis in our district,” Mamdani said.
The issue has gotten worse: New Yorkers submitted more than 22,000 claims of EBT fraud between January 2022 and October 2023, totaling $17 million in stolen benefits, according to the assemblymember. Mamdani said he has helped more than 20 constituents recover more than $15,000 in stolen benefits in the last six months, adding there are many other residents who haven’t sought help.
Mamdani also said thieves are secretly installing a physical device on card readers to steal people’s information and money. Whenever a card is swiped through the reader, the device copies the card’s information and pin number.
To address the problem, Mamdani and state Assemblymember Jessica González-Rojas, also of Queens, have introduced legislation requiring EBT cards to be upgraded with contactless payment technology. That bill, which has yet to be voted on, could decrease fraud by over 87%, Mamdani said.
EBT is an electronic system that functions like a regular debit card and allows people to pay for food using Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits. To qualify for SNAP through the state, a family of four must make less than $39,000 a year. The maximum annual income for a single person to qualify is $18,960.
The NYPD did not respond to an inquiry about how scammers commit EBT theft.
Shiva Pradhan, 65, was a victim of EBT skimming at her…
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