October 31st, 2023
All EBT Benefit Recipients Are Encouraged To Change Their PIN And Take Other Precautions Ahead of November 1st
Monroe County Executive Adam Bello today announced, the Monroe County Department of Human Services has finished addressing the more than 1,100 residents who have alerted DHS that their benefits stolen due to EBT skimming. Members of the Human Services team worked overtime to resolve each of these cases and ensure each of these victims were reissued their stolen benefits.
The nationwide EBT skimming operation has impacted clients all over Western New York, including in Erie and Niagara Counties in the past few weeks.
Ahead of the issuance of benefits on November 1st, all cardholders should take these steps to protect their benefits:
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Change their PIN immediately, and remember to change it frequently
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Remember to protect their EBT card and PIN information
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Monitor their EBT account regularly to watch for unauthorized transactions
- If someone believes their benefits have been stolen please immediately report the card stolen by calling 888‐328‐6399, visiting www.connectEBT.com, or through the connectEBT mobile app.
Card skimming directly copies card and personal identification number (PIN) information from EBT cardholders using a device (skimmers) placed on top of a store's card reading machine. The stolen data is used to access an individual’s EBT account and spend their SNAP and TA cash benefits.
