Benefits news: EBT theft reimbursements will end after December 20, 2024

Image of Justin King
Image of Justin King

What’s happening?

The government has not extended the EBT theft reimbursement window. There will be no reimbursements for thefts that occur after December 20, 2024.

  • If your benefits were stolen on or before December 20, 2024, you should be eligible for reimbursement.
  • If your benefits are stolen after December 20, 2024, you may not be eligible for reimbursement. There are some states that may also continue to provide reimbursements using state funding. Please check with your caseworker.
  • If available in your state, we strongly recommend enabling security features to help protect your benefits from theft.

All victims of EBT theft should still continue to report it.

Why is this happening?

Congress failed to extend the reimbursement window for victims of EBT theft in the government funding bill they passed on December 21, 2024. This is disappointing, as EBT theft remains a massive problem. Unfortunately, Congress’s decision leaves victims of theft without the protections they need.

It is possible reimbursements will come back?

It is possible, but it won't happen right away. The current Congress has ended, and will pass no more laws. A new Congress will begin on January 3, 2025. When the new Congress is in session, they will have the ability to enact a law bringing back reimbursements.

Now more than ever, it’s important to protect yourself from EBT theft.

How to protect yourself from EBT theft

EBT theft is still a serious issue, and it's important to be proactive to protect your benefits.

This means checking your EBT balance regularly for unauthorized transactions, changing your PIN once a month, keeping an eye out for skimming devices, and being careful about responding to calls or texts about your EBT card.

The Propel app also offers several anti-theft security features to help you keep your EBT benefits safe. Here’s what we recommend:

1. Turn on out-of-state transaction blocking

Criminals often steal benefits information via skimming and then spend funds in other states. We recommend keeping this feature on at all times unless you need to make a transaction in another state. It’s easy to toggle on or off.

Currently available in AK, AZ, CA, CO, DC, FL, GU, HI, ID, IL, KS, KY, MI, MN, MO, NC, ND, NE, NH, NM, NV, NY, OR, OK, RI, SD, TN, VI, VT, WA, WI, WV, and WY.

2. Use Propel for suspicious transaction monitoring

Propel reviews your past EBT transactions for any suspicious activity. If we find anything unusual, we'll send you an alert to confirm whether you made the transaction.

If you don’t recognize them, change your PIN ASAP and contact your caseworker. Someone may have stolen your information.

Currently available in AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, GU, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MD, ME, MI, MS, NJ, NY, OH, OK, PA, PR, SC, TN, TX, UT, and VA.

3. Lock your EBT card (CA & OK only)

Card locking prevents your card from being used anywhere, so a criminal who has stolen your information can’t spend your benefits.

We recommend keeping your card locked when not in use and unlocking it only when making a purchase—it only takes a second!

Don’t worry, locking your card won’t prevent you from receiving deposits.