Massachusetts Will Launch Chip-Enabled EBT Cards To Fight SNAP Theft
Massachusetts will pilot chip-and-pin-enabled Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards for SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance) beneficiaries later this year to reduce benefit theft and ensure aid reaches intended recipients. Massachusetts Gov….
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Massachusetts will pilot chip-and-pin-enabled Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards for SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance) beneficiaries later this year to reduce benefit theft and ensure aid reaches intended recipients.
Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey said that the Bay State would become the third state in the nation to implement this tool to prevent theft and protect tax dollars. The state has begun informing Massachusetts retailers to prepare for this upcoming change by updating their Point-of-Sale (POS) systems to accept the new chip-and/or tap EBT cards.
Healey explained that Massachusetts chip-and-PIN-enabled EBT cards will feature a Europay Mastercard Visa (EMV) microchip and other security features that are more secure than those of a traditional magnetic-stripe EBT card.
The pilot is part of a response to recent SNAP fraud cases in Massachusetts, including identity-based fraud and a multimillion-dollar scheme at a Boston-area retailer.
According to a Boston 25 News report, on Monday, April 6, the U.S. Attorney revealed that a man identified as “John Doe,” who is in the country illegally and has lived in the Worcester area for 20 years, is accused of using the identity of a dead U.S. citizen to receive SNAP benefits.
During the week of March 30, a convenience store owner in Boston was convicted of trafficking nearly $7 million in SNAP government benefits in a fraud scheme, the U.S. Attorney said on Tuesday, March 31.
More than 1 million Massachusetts residents receive SNAP benefits, representing about one in six residents. The Greater Boston area accounts for a large share of participants, according to Boston 25 News.
The Department of Transitional Assistance distributes approximately $2.6 billion in SNAP benefits annually to households that meet various eligibility criteria.
To report benefits fraud to the Department of Transitional Assistance online, visit its website, send an email, or call the DTA's Fraud Hotline at 800-372-8399.
