Ohio may add chips to SNAP benefit cards to crack down on theft
An Ohio House bill could add chips to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program cards to crack down on and prevent future theft.
According to The Cincinnati Enquirer, House Bill 163 could save thousands of Ohioans from millions of dollars in stolen food assistance.
Since Ohio’s benefits cards, also known as the Direction Card of Ohio EBT, don’t have chips, they are very susceptible to skimming technology that steals food benefits of the Buckeye State’s residents.
The news source reported that thieves stole almost $17 million in SNAP benefits from more than 34,000 Ohio households between June 2023 and December 2024. The federal government used taxpayer dollars to reimburse benefits that were stolen at that time.
“When SNAP benefits are stolen now, families will shoulder the loss. These are real Ohioans who suddenly find themselves without the means to buy groceries, through no fault of their own,” one of the primary sponsors of the bill, State Rep. Kellie Deeter, R-Norwalk, said.
State Rep. Tristan Rader, D-Lakewood, was the other primary sponsor of the bill, making it a bipartisan proposal.
The bill would require Ohio to add chip technology to its benefits cards within two years. It would cost $10.6 million to replace the cards, with Ohio and the federal government splitting the bill.
The Enquirer reported that the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services offered several tips to avoid being a victim of food stamp theft, since it will take some time to add chips to the cards.
Among the suggestions provided was checking for a card skimmer, protecting one’s PIN and using a card lock and alerts.
“Criminals continue to prey on vulnerable Ohioans who rely on food assistance to supplement their monthly grocery costs,” ODJFS director Matt Damschroder said. “SNAP recipients should be vigilant in protecting their benefits by looking for signs of skimming, protecting their EBT card number and PIN, and using tools such as the ConnectEBT app and its ‘Lock Everywhere’ feature to avoid becoming victims.”
As Ohio.News previously reported, three people have been indicted following a nearly year-long investigation into the use of card skimmers to steal the benefits across the state. The Ohio Investigative Unit identified at least $600,000 in stolen benefits.
A Franklin County Common Pleas Court grand jury indicted Columbus residents Ionut Bizga, Doina Bacelan and Juan Hernandez in Ma for what officials described as a “pattern of corrupt activity and food stamp fraud.”
