How to File a Claim for Stolen SNAP Benefits in New York City

What you should know

• Many families in our area rely on SNAP benefits, and unfortunately many have been victims of theft. The good news is that people can report these thefts and receive a refund of that money in New York City.
• However, it is important to note that some SNAP recipients have until December 31, 2023 to file a claim to replace their stolen SNAP benefits. The people who have until this date to make the claim are those who were robbed between October 1, 2022 and August 21, 2023.
• If your SNAP benefits were stolen on or after August 22, 2023, you must file a claim within 30 days of discovering that your cash benefits were stolen.

NEW YORK — Many families in our area depend on SNAP benefits, and unfortunately many have been victims of theft. The good news is that people can report these thefts and receive a refund of that money in New York City.

However, It is important to note that some SNAP recipients have until December 31, 2023 to file a claim to replace their stolen SNAP benefits. The people who have until this date to make the claim are those who were robbed between October 1, 2022 and August 21, 2023.

If your SNAP benefits were stolen on or after August 22, 2023, you must file a claim within 30 days of discovering that your cash benefits were stolen.

New York State previously reported that thousands of New Yorkers had their EBT (Electronic Benefit Transfer) cards stolen in 2022, resulting in total losses of more than $730,000. Here you can find more reports.

Credit, debit and prepaid card users are covered by the Electronic Funds Transfer Act (EFTA) and Regulations, which help people who have been defrauded recover funds from losses and unauthorized electronic transfers.

Below we answer your questions if you were a victim of theft of your SNAP benefits.

THEFT BY “SKIMMING”“

If your SNAP benefits or cash were electronically stolen, you can now file a claim for replacement of these benefits. Benefits can be partially or fully replaced.

What is electronic benefit theft, also known as “skimming”, “phishing” or “card cloning”?

He skimming It is a type of theft. Thieves put a device on a store’s card-swiping machine to copy Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT), credit, and debit Card information. Thieves use the information to make fake cards (called “clones”) and use them to steal money from accounts. Skimming can happen anywhere you swipe your EBT card.

He phishing is another type of fraud in which thieves trick people into clicking on a link, usually sent via text message or email, that allows them to give up account information.

How much time do I have after discovering the theft to file a claim?

For both SNAP and cash, you must file a claim for replacement benefits within 30 days of discovering your benefits were stolen. This means that if the “discovery date” listed on the claim is more than 30 days ago, the claim will be denied. However, if you do not know the exact date of discovery, you can leave this field blank. If you leave this field blank, the claim will not be rejected.

There is one exception to the 30-day rule: report fraudulent transactions from before August 21, 2023. For retroactive SNAP claims with theft dates on or after October 1, 2022 and retroactive Cash Assistance claims with dates of theft from January 1, 2022 to August 21, 2023, the household must complete and submit the replacement application to the district by December 31, 2023, or within thirty (30) days of the date they discovered the theft, whichever is later.

What should I do if my benefits were stolen?

All information about the refund process is on the page

For information in Spanish go here.

What information do I need to make the claim?

The customer identification number is an 8-character code that is a mix of letters and numbers. The CIN can be found on your Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) Card. It is labeled “ID Number.” Each person in a case has their own CIN, but you MUST use the CIN listed on your Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) Card for the application to be processed, even if that CIN belongs to another person in your case.

The case number is ten characters long. The first nine are numbers and the last is a letter. The case number is not listed on the Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) Card, but you can look up the case number on any notice HRA sent you about the case, and also look it up by logging into ACCESSHRA. If you are having trouble finding the case number, you can also call Infoline 718-557-1399 or visit the Center.

Will they give me all the benefits they stole from me?

Depends. For both types of benefits, the replacement benefit you qualify to receive is the amount of SNAP benefits or cash that was stolen, or an amount equal to twice the SNAP benefits or cash you received in the most recent full month during which you received SNAP, or cash before benefits were stolen; whichever is less.

The law allows you to use federal funds to reimburse up to 2 monthly benefit payments per fiscal year, for funds stolen between January 1, 2022 and September 30, 2024. Starting October 1, 2024, you will only be able to request reimbursement one month of benefits per fiscal year. More information can be found on the Stolen SNAP benefits page.

How long will it take to receive my stolen benefits?

Processing time will vary. If you are accepted for replacement benefits, please allow up to 4 weeks for the replacement benefits to be loaded to the card and for you to receive a notice in the mail informing you of the decision. You do not need to file another claim while your claim is being processed.

For more information go here.

You can visit this site too.

2023-12-22 17:35:06
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