LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — The Division of Welfare and Supportive Services announced Wednesday that it will accept claims requesting a replacement of stolen Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) benefits.
Starting July 31, the agency got approval from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food, and Nutrition Program to accept claims and provide replacement benefits for stolen Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) funds.
The program will review submitted claims to replace funds lost due to skimming, cloning, or other fraudulent methods.
For benefits stolen between Oct. 1, 2022, and July 30, 2023, retroactive claims forms must be submitted within 60 days.
New claims forms must be submitted within 10 business days from the date the customer contacts DWSS to report EBT benefits stolen.
Benefit thefts can be reported at any district office, by phone, mail, or email.
The Investigations and Recovery Unit will review the information and if approved, benefits will be replaced within about 30 calendar days.
DWSS suggests the following prevention tips to minimize the chances of being a victim of stolen benefits.
- Use only the EBT Edge site or mobile application
- Freeze or lock your EBT card when not in use
- Change your PIN monthly before your benefit issuance date
- Avoid simple PINs such as dates of birth, part of your social security number, or easily guessed PINs like 1234 or 9876
- Do not share your PIN with anyone outside your household and keep both your EBT card number and PIN a secret
- Do not respond to phone calls or text messages asking for your EBT card number or PIN
- Check your EBT account regularly for unauthorized transactions
To contact the Division of Welfare and Supportive Services Investigations and Recovery Unit call 775-448-5211 (Northern Nevada) or 702-486-1875 (Southern Nevada), email irrefferal@dwss.nv.gov, or visit any welfare office.
