{"id":2153,"date":"2025-02-01T11:59:19","date_gmt":"2025-02-01T11:59:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.soscip.org\/us\/?p=2153"},"modified":"2025-02-01T11:59:20","modified_gmt":"2025-02-01T11:59:20","slug":"no-more-reimbursements-for-stolen-snap-benefits","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.soscip.org\/us\/no-more-reimbursements-for-stolen-snap-benefits\/","title":{"rendered":"No More Reimbursements for Stolen SNAP Benefits: What Colorado Families Need to Know"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Thousands of Colorado families relying on <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.soscip.org\/us\/snap-benefit-increase-in-2025\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"1686\">Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program<\/a> (SNAP) benefits<\/strong> have faced theft through card skimming, leaving them struggling to put food on the table. Until recently, victims could expect reimbursement within 30 days. However, as of <strong>December 20, 2024, federal funding for stolen SNAP benefits reimbursements has been discontinued<\/strong>\u2014leaving families with no way to recover lost funds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-rank-math-toc-block\" id=\"rank-math-toc\"><h2>Table of Contents<\/h2><nav><ul><li><a href=\"#why-has-snap-reimbursement-stopped\">Why Has SNAP Reimbursement Stopped?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#is-there-any-hope-for-future-reimbursements\">Is There Any Hope for Future Reimbursements?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#resources-available-for-families-affected-by-snap-theft\">Resources Available for Families Affected by SNAP Theft<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#how-are-snap-benefits-being-stolen\">How Are SNAP Benefits Being Stolen?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#preventing-snap-theft-how-to-protect-your-ebt-card\">Preventing SNAP Theft: How to Protect Your EBT Card<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#can-ebt-cards-be-made-more-secure\">Can EBT Cards Be Made More Secure?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#the-future-of-snap-reimbursements-in-colorado\">The Future of SNAP Reimbursements in Colorado<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"why-has-snap-reimbursement-stopped\"><strong>Why Has SNAP Reimbursement Stopped?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to the <strong>Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS)<\/strong>, the end of reimbursements is due to the expiration of the <strong>2022 Consolidated Appropriations Act<\/strong>. This federal legislation provided funding to replace stolen benefits, but with its expiration, there is <strong>no longer a mechanism in place to refund fraud victims<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;Unfortunately, there is no mechanism for reimbursement available for fraud that takes place after Dec. 20,&#8221; said Abby McClelland, CDHS Director for the Food and Energy Assistance Division. &#8220;There are other county and state programs that they can be connected with to help bridge the gap until their next round of SNAP benefits occurs, and we are working with counties to make sure they know about and are connecting people to those resources.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.soscip.org\/us\/snap-benefits-trumps-federal-freeze\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"2088\">SNAP Benefits &amp; Trump\u2019s Federal Freeze: What You Need to Know<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.soscip.org\/us\/is-snap-actually-helpful-for-americans-lets-clarify-the-facts\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"1690\">Is SNAP actually helpful for Americans? Let&#8217;s Clarify the Facts<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.soscip.org\/us\/how-much-does-welfare-pay-us\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"1682\">How Much does Welfare Pay in the US? A State-by-State Comparison of Benefits<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.soscip.org\/us\/snap-benefit-increase-in-2025\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"1686\">SNAP Benefit Increase in 2025: Amount, Eligibility &amp; Rates<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.soscip.org\/us\/292-per-family-member-snap-payment\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"942\">$292 Per Family Member SNAP Payment: Your Ultimate Guide to SNAP Food Stamps<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"is-there-any-hope-for-future-reimbursements\"><strong>Is There Any Hope for Future Reimbursements?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At this time, <strong>only Congress can reinstate the funding<\/strong> necessary to resume reimbursements for stolen benefits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;We&#8217;re not directly involved with Congress, so I don&#8217;t know what they&#8217;re doing,&#8221; McClelland said. &#8220;But they do have the ability to reinstate that funding and restart that reimbursement. That hasn\u2019t happened yet, and there\u2019s been no bill introduced around that.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Until Congress acts, affected families must rely on <strong>state and county assistance programs<\/strong> for food aid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"resources-available-for-families-affected-by-snap-theft\"><strong>Resources Available for Families Affected by SNAP Theft<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While reimbursements are unavailable, there are <strong>several programs that can help bridge the gap<\/strong> for affected families:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>The Emergency Food Assistance Program<\/strong> \u2013 Provides free groceries to low-income households<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Colorado WIC<\/strong> \u2013 Supports women, infants, and children with nutritious food<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Hunger Free Colorado<\/strong> \u2013 Connects families with food resources<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>211 Colorado<\/strong> \u2013 A helpline offering assistance with food, housing, and other needs<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"how-are-snap-benefits-being-stolen\"><strong>How Are SNAP Benefits Being Stolen?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The leading cause of stolen SNAP benefits is <strong>card skimming<\/strong>, where criminals place illegal devices on <strong>ATMs and card readers at retail stores<\/strong>. These devices <strong>steal EBT card information, including PINs<\/strong>, allowing scammers to clone cards and drain funds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to <strong>CDHS Communications Manager for the Office of Economic Security<\/strong>, once an <strong>EBT card is skimmed<\/strong>, criminals can use it anywhere without the cardholder\u2019s knowledge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"preventing-snap-theft-how-to-protect-your-ebt-card\"><strong>Preventing SNAP Theft: How to Protect Your EBT Card<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">CDHS recommends the following steps to <strong>safeguard your SNAP benefits<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2705 <strong>Freeze your EBT card<\/strong> in the <strong>ebtEDGE mobile app<\/strong> or <strong>Cardholder Portal<\/strong> to prevent unauthorized purchases<br>\u2705 <strong>Change your PIN frequently<\/strong> to reduce fraud risk<br>\u2705 <strong>Use complex PINs<\/strong> rather than simple or repeated numbers<br>\u2705 <strong>Never share your PIN or card number<\/strong> with anyone<br>\u2705 <strong>Report suspicious activity immediately<\/strong> to authorities<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"can-ebt-cards-be-made-more-secure\"><strong>Can EBT Cards Be Made More Secure?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Other states, including <strong>California and Oklahoma<\/strong>, are updating their <strong>EBT cards with chip and tap technology<\/strong> to prevent skimming. This <strong>security upgrade<\/strong> makes it harder for criminals to steal card information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">CDHS is currently <strong>exploring this option<\/strong>, but McClelland warns that <strong>switching to chip and tap cards is a massive undertaking<\/strong>, requiring not just new cards for <strong>every SNAP household<\/strong>, but also software updates for <strong>retailers\u2019 point-of-sale systems<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;It also requires a lot of work with retailers, because currently, the point-of-sales machines they use would not accept an EBT chip or tap card,&#8221; McClelland explained.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"the-future-of-snap-reimbursements-in-colorado\"><strong>The Future of SNAP Reimbursements in Colorado<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For now, SNAP recipients in Colorado must remain vigilant <strong>against card skimming fraud<\/strong> and seek <strong>alternative food assistance programs<\/strong> if their benefits are stolen. News5 will continue to follow this issue closely, providing updates if Congress moves to restore reimbursement funding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Have You Been Affected?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If your <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.soscip.org\/us\/no-more-reimbursements-for-stolen-snap-benefits\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.soscip.org\/us\/no-more-reimbursements-for-stolen-snap-benefits\/\">SNAP benefits<\/a> were stolen<\/strong>, consider reporting your case to <strong>CDHS and local law enforcement<\/strong>. Stay informed by following updates from <strong>News5<\/strong> on this developing issue.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Thousands of Colorado families relying on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits have faced theft through card skimming, leaving them struggling to put food on the table. Until recently, victims could expect reimbursement within 30 days. However, as of December 20, 2024, federal funding for stolen SNAP benefits reimbursements has been discontinued\u2014leaving families with no&nbsp;<a class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.soscip.org\/us\/no-more-reimbursements-for-stolen-snap-benefits\/\">Continue reading<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2155,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2153","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.soscip.org\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2153","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.soscip.org\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.soscip.org\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.soscip.org\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.soscip.org\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2153"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.soscip.org\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2153\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2156,"href":"https:\/\/www.soscip.org\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2153\/revisions\/2156"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.soscip.org\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2155"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.soscip.org\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2153"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.soscip.org\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2153"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.soscip.org\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2153"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}