Reimbursement funds expire for stolen SNAP benefits

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — Congress has reached a funding deal, avoiding a government shutdown. However, with that comes some bad news for SNAP recipients.

Protections for stolen SNAP benefits expire on Friday.

For many Oklahomans, SNAP benefits are a lifeline ensuring food on the table every month.

Through a recent crime on the rise, recipients are finding their accounts drained by scammers.

"You're talking about a family losing, you know, $800, potentially $400, whatever it is it's most of their food budget," said Chris Bernard, president/CEO, Hunger Free Oklahoma.

States have been able to use federal funds to replace stolen benefits, but without action from Congress that money will go away

The first bipartisan bill to fund the government extended the reimbursement.

The second trimmed down bill that failed Thursday did not.

Friday's bill that passed also did not include an extension.

"If somebody has something stolen from them through no fault of their own and it's a federal benefit and really it's the federal government's job to protect those benefits, then we should be replacing them so those people have access to the food they need and are entitled to," said Benard.

Bernard believes the funding is 'common-sense'.

"The fact that we haven't said SNAP recipients deserve the same protections as any American with a bank account, if you are hacked and your money is stolen, your bank replaces it and SNAP should be the same way," said Bernard.

Since September, Oklahoma Human Services has replaced over $6 million in stolen benefits.

This month alone, there's been over 7,000 requests, but without congressional action they are no longer able to process them.

"You need to call your elected officials in D.C. and tell them this is an issue you care about and you want to see it in. we don't know who decided they wanted it out, were not privy to those conversations, but all it takes is a few members of a delegation to say we want to back in and it probably gets there," said Bernard.

Hunger Free Oklahoma says Congress needs to make a fix and bring back the funding for replacement benefits.

Oklahoma Human Services sent the following statement regarding SNAP benefit funding.

Oklahoma Human Services understands SNAP benefits are critical to keeping food on the table for many families, especially during the holidays. We are grateful to our federal partners for the opportunity to replace benefits stolen due to cloning, skimming and phishing through today. 

We encourage SNAP clients who have experienced benefit theft due to these reasons to continue to request their benefits be replaced by: 

• Calling (405) 522-5050
• Visiting their local Human Services Center

Unless additional funding is approved by the federal government to allow replacement of stolen benefits, our ability to process requests for replacement will end at close of business today. However, it is important that SNAP clients who have experienced benefit theft continue to submit replacement requests in case a continuing resolution is approved.

Oklahoma Human Services