use of a security weakness in Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards, which are linked to a SNAP recipient’s account where states deposit SNAP benefits once a month. Unlike a debit card from a bank, EBT cards do not have a security chip, leaving them vulnerable to “skimming” when they are swiped at a card reader. Skimmers use hidden devices at grocery store checkouts to illegally capture or “skim” SNAP EBT card information and PINs, and then use that stolen information to drain an unsuspecting household’s account.

For low-income households who have few resources to fall back on, discovering in the checkout line that their SNAP benefits have been stolen, and that they can’t pay for their groceries, is devastating. Before Congress passed the temporary provision restoring stolen SNAP benefits, SNAP recipients generally had no avenue to replace their stolen benefits. They would have to figure out how to make do until the next SNAP payment. With the benefits restoration provision, SNAP recipients have a process to get at least some of their stolen benefits back.

USDA and state SNAP agencies have been working to improve EBT card security and to increase the tools available to protect families’ benefits against skimming. For example, most states now allow households to freeze their EBT card when they’re not using it to prevent unauthorized transactions, or to block certain types of transactions, such as purchases made online or out of state.

A better solution for SNAP households would be to transition to more secure EBT cards. California and Oklahoma are developing and testing chip-enabled EBT cards, which are designed to avoid the need to swipe a card and thus avoid skimming devices. The provision temporarily restoring benefits also requires state SNAP agencies to report to USDA on their progress in transitioning to the more secure chip-enabled cards. USDA is drafting additional regulations on EBT card security. But it takes time for the card-based technology to be deployed and for the hundreds of thousands of stores, bodegas, farmers markets, and other SNAP-authorized retailers to update their technology. It will likely take several years to fully implement a more modern security system.

As some members of both parties have urged, Congress should extend the SNAP benefits replacement provision to ensure that harmed households retain access to food assistance until more secure EBT card technology is deployed. Unless Congress acts to authorize USDA to continue replacing stolen benefits, victims of skimming face the possibility of losing benefits after December 20, 2024.