Bill would require chip-enabled SNAP EBT cards to prevent skimming

Sens. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.) and Bill Cassidy (R-La.) introduced a bill Thursday to upgrade the cybersecurity defenses of SNAP cards to prevent scammers from stealing recipients’ benefits.

Microchips inside cards and other security features have been common in credit and debit cards for years, but SNAP — Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program — cards do not feature them. 

“There’s no excuse for this two-tier system, where families in need are stuck with outdated, easily hackable technology while folks with credit and ATM cards are better protected,” Wyden said in a statement. “Inaction is not good enough for families, not when it can be the difference between a family in need having food for dinner or going hungry.” 

The bill aims to combat skimming scams, where card details are detected and stolen using hacked readers. Thousands of SNAP recipients fall victim to skimmers and other security scams every year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), which operates SNAP.

Skimmer scams drain victims’ accounts, often stealing hundreds of dollars needed to put food on the table. No states offer cards with microchip security protections, according to the USDA, though California plans to roll out new cards with the features in the coming years.

The bill would force the USDA to update its card requirements for states to include microchips and other security features. With federal funds, states would begin a roll-out of new cards within two years and ban the use of nonchip cards after four years, according to the bill.

Reps. Andy Kim (D-N.J.) and Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) are leading an identical bill in the House.

“SNAP is supposed to help the person who is food insecure,” Cassidy said in a statement. “It is not supposed to help crooks who steal these benefits. This fights the crooks while preserving the benefits for those most in need.”