Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
- Utah introduces a tool to prevent SNAP benefit theft by locking accounts.
- Recipients can lock and unlock accounts via phone or computer for secure transactions.
- State officials emphasize the federal role in addressing food stamp theft issues.
SALT LAKE CITY – Utah has unveiled a new tool to try to prevent food stamp benefits from being stolen.
As KSL has recently reported, hundreds of recipients of SNAP benefits, commonly known as food stamps, have been the victims of theft each month.
Some of those Utahns have shown up at the grocery store only to find out that hackers have gained access to their electronic benefit transfer, or EBT, card and stolen the money before recipients could even use it.
To try to cut down on the problem, the Utah Department of Workforce Services is now giving SNAP recipients the option to lock their accounts to prevent illicit purchases.
"All you have to do is log in (to the benefit portal), look at your transactions, and you can literally lock and unlock in real time," said Becky Wickstrom, Utah's Department of Workforce Services public information officer. "Let's say you're headed to the grocery store, your card's locked, you're in line. Unlock it, make your purchase, and then relock it."
Wickstrom said recipients can lock their accounts using a mobile phone or a desktop computer. Those who are not online can get help over the phone, she added.
State officials have said ultimately the issue of food stamp theft is a federal government problem, but the Department of Workforce Services has come up with the new lock feature in the meantime to try to prevent further problems.
"We're hoping that this can be sort of a good solution now while we work on other things with the federal government and with our card vendor," Wickstrom said.
Officials hope additional protections will be implemented later to prevent food stamp theft.
In addition to locking accounts, Wickstrom said SNAP recipients should select a PIN number that is difficult to guess, change it often, and never share it with anyone. For more information, click here.
