SNAP recipients encouraged to take action after skimming devices found across OKC
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — Oklahoma Human Services is sounding the alarm over stolen SNAP benefits.
Over the weekend, law enforcement found and removed nine skimming devices from various convenience and grocery stores in the Oklahoma City metro area.
These are in addition to skimming devices that were discovered over the past several weeks in the Tulsa and Oklahoma City metro areas, Blanchard and Enid.
Whenever a customer swipes their card, the devices capture the data and pin number, allowing the suspects to clone the card and drain their SNAP account.
"We went to check out and it said an insufficient balance and we were both super confused," said Logan Foster, whose roommate's benefits were stolen.
Foster says she was with her roommate when he found out his account was drained.
Oklahoma Human Services says this has been a nation-wide trend for the past couple of years.
Criminals pass through Oklahoma and place the skimming devices on stores and then leave to another state.
"This month has been the worst month that we've had since all of this started back in December 2022," said Michael Adams, with the Office of Inspector General.
Requests for replacement benefits have skyrocketed this month to nearly 10,000. A typical month is fewer than 200.
This increase has SNAP recipients waiting longer for their reimbursements.
Oklahoma Human Services says it would usually take ten days, however now it's taking up to 21, leaving some unable to afford food.
"My roommate will go days without eating simply because we just don't have food at the house to eat," said Foster.
SNAP recipients are encouraged to change their pin number before benefits are issued November 1.
"The perpetrators are waiting for midnight and then they'll start swiping all those cards again as soon as that money is loaded on," said Adams.
Adams says as for the suspects placing these skimmers in stores, they have identified some and are working on getting charges filed against them.
In some other counties, Adams says they're close to a conviction.
Oklahoma Human Services shared some other card safety tips include:
- Never share your card information or give your card to someone else.
- Choose PINs that are hard to guess and never use PINs like 1111, 1234, etc.
- Download the ConnectEBT app, which allows you to lock your SNAP card between purchases.
- Never respond to text messages or phone calls asking for your card information.
- Check the card readers at the checkout counter to ensure they haven’t been tampered with.
Oklahoma Human Services is also planning to launch chip cards by the summer.
SNAP recipients can apply for stolen benefit replacement through Dec. 20, 2024. Claims can be submitted in the following ways:
- By phone at (405) 522-5050
- In-person at a Human Services Center
- By mail to Oklahoma Human Services, SNAP, PO Box 25352, Oklahoma City, OK 73125