Op-Ed | Delivering immediate relief for victims of SNAP fraud

Source: QNS written by Jessica González-Rojas

A senior in Jackson Heights checks the balance on her EBT card. It’s empty. Thinking her benefits are simply late, she calls New York City’s Human Resources Administration. An employee checks their account.

“Your benefits have arrived, but they were spent,” the employee explains.

That senior was the victim of EBT fraud. The last time she went shopping, her funds were drained by a device implanted in a payment terminal. Unfortunately, she is not alone.

Across the state, families who rely on SNAP are increasingly being targeted by skimming scams that wipe out the benefits they depend on. Between 2023 and 2024, an average of 80,000 New York households reported stolen SNAP benefits per year. Over that period, the federal government replaced roughly $51.7 million in stolen benefits, providing a critical safety net. During that time, the HRA employee would have directed the senior to file a claim for reimbursement.

But under the second Trump administration, the safety net has since been cut. At the end of 2024, the federal government sunsetted the reimbursement program even as theft has continued: New York City residents reported a total of $14.5 million in stolen SNAP benefits during the first half of 2025.

Today, these New Yorkers have no recourse. Their benefits stolen, they turn to food pantries or go without groceries.

Older New Yorkers are especially likely to be targeted. My colleagues and I have hosted trainings at Older Adult Centers to ensure residents are aware of EBT skimming scams and know how to protect themselves.

The consequences are compounded for older constituents in Queens. Fifty-nine percent of older adults in Queens report no retirement income, increasing reliance on SNAP. Additionally, three in five Queens seniors do not speak English as a primary language, making reporting and detecting the scams a challenge.

Thankfully, we know what’s causing this crime wave. New York’s outdated EBT cards, which still rely on magnetic stripes, are highly vulnerable to skimming devices that capture card data at compromised terminals.

Alongside advocates, I have been at the forefront of the fight to protect SNAP benefits, introducing legislation to upgrade EBT cards with secure chip technology. I was pleased to see Governor Hochul and the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance commit to a full transition to secure cards. California saw SNAP theft plummet by 83% after making this switch last year, and I am hopeful we will see similar results here.

However, this transition will take time: the OTDA Commissioner has estimated a 12-18 month implementation period. But older adults and working families cannot afford to wait, and neither can the state. New York must step up where the federal government has stepped away, and establish its own EBT skimming victim compensation fund.

I stand alongside a broad coalition of anti-hunger organizations who are calling on state leaders to take this action in the current budget. The Senate has proposed an initial investment of $3 million, but we know the true need is in the tens of millions. Based on prior reimbursement levels, a fully funded program could require up to $20 million.

This reimbursement fund must be just one part of a broader effort to confront food insecurity: fully 52% of New York City residents reported taking on debt for groceries. That is why I have also advanced legislation to strengthen SNAP, including raising the minimum benefit and expanding access to food for families facing rising costs. Addressing hunger requires both strengthening the safety net and ensuring benefits are there when people need them.

Creating a SNAP skimming victims compensation fund is essential to that work, and it is something we can deliver this budget cycle. It ensures that when benefits are stolen, families—especially seniors—are not left to go hungry while long-term fixes are rolled out.

That same senior in Jackson Heights explained it best. “I was a victim of bank fraud, too. And when I reported it, the bank investigated, and I got reimbursed. It should be the same thing here.”

It’s common sense. When someone is the victim of fraud, they should be made whole.

In this year’s budget, we have the opportunity to make that principle real, and deliver immediate relief to New Yorkers just trying to make ends meet.