The Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) plays a crucial role in supporting the state’s residents, serving approximately 1 in 6 individuals—around 1.1 million people who rely on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for their basic food needs. This diverse clientele includes seniors, individuals with disabilities, and families spanning every city and town across Massachusetts, with nearly all beneficiaries accessing their support through an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card system.
Recently, DTA told NewsTalk New England about a growing concern: “Benefits theft is a persistent threat to our clients, and DTA is seeing an uptick in clients reporting their benefits are being stolen.” This alarming trend has prompted DTA to intensify awareness and preventative measures.
The nature of benefits theft has evolved, with DTA noting that “benefits theft occurs mainly via skimming at point-of-sale devices or through phishing schemes.” Skimming is not just a local issue; it’s a nationwide problem. The United States Secret Service reports that criminals are increasingly utilizing illicit skimming devices strategically placed on ATMs and merchant point-of-sale terminals. These devices capture sensitive card information from EBT cards, which criminals then use to encode the stolen data onto counterfeit cards, such as those resembling hotel key cards. Shockingly, skimming is estimated to cost financial institutions and everyday consumers over $1 billion annually…