SNAP skimming escalates in Pa., officials push for secure EBT cards

Two million Pennsylvanians rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to feed themselves and their families, but skimming devices have led to a statewide rise in SNAP benefit theft, leaving thousands of low-income households without food.

While negotiations over the Pennsylvania 2025-26 budget continue, local government officials, at a news conference Friday, called for Congress to reinstate the reimbursement program as well as $14 million to fund updated electronic benefit transfer cards (EBT).

“The reality is that when SNAP benefits are stolen, families are left scrambling to once again afford basic necessities, like groceries. Our system shouldn’t make it harder to feed families,” U.S. Rep. Summer Lee said.

Between October 2022 and December 2024, Pennsylvania had 18,976 confirmed cases of skimming — totaling to almost $8.9 million in stolen nutrition benefits.

Skimming devices have popped up in Allegheny and Westmoreland counties, most recently at a Giant Eagle in New Kensington and at an ATM at a convenience store in Hempfield in June.

The technology used for EBT cards, unlike credit and debit cards, has not been updated since they were implemented in 1998.

Lee, joined by state Rep. Emily Kinkead, state Rep. Abigail Salisbury and Just Harvest, a nonprofit that fights hunger, are advocating for $7 million from the state — to be matched by the federal government — that would help transition the program to new electronic benefit transfer cards with secure chip technology.

The updated chips would prevent SNAP card users’ information from being stolen off EBT cards after they are used at a point-of-sale machine that has a skimming device attached.

In May, The Department of Human Services and the Office of State Inspector General implemented the Connect EBT app, which allows SNAP benefit users to lock their cards when not in use.

Despite being launched a little over three months ago, the security feature is not being widely used yet.

Salisbury said not many people are aware of the app, and often are only made aware that the protection exists after having their benefits stolen.

It was unclear Friday how many Pennsylvanians have been using the Connect EBT app.

Congress in December ended federal authority to replace stolen SNAP benefits. In April, U.S. Sen. John Fetterman introduced legislation — the Fairness for Victims of SNAP Skimming Act of 2025 — to amend the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 so that it would expand the replacement of stolen EBT benefits.

Fetterman’s bill has not been passed by either chamber.

“SNAP fraud is not people who are unentitled to this program taking it,” Salisbury said. “SNAP fraud is criminals snatching food out of the mouths of people in our communities.”