​ANNAPOLIS, MD—Governor Wes Moore this week announced Electronic Benefits Transfer reimbursements for fraud victims. Since beginning outreach to eligible individuals last week, the Maryland Department of Human Services has approved nearly 1,300 claims totaling $761,584 in reimbursed benefits.

“My administration is using a direct and swift approach to reimburse people whose food and cash benefits were stolen,” said Governor Moore. “We are demonstrating how our state will lead and find innovative ways to solve our common problems and restore faith in our family-serving institutions.”

Maryland is the first state in the nation to begin using federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program funds to reimburse families and adults whose Electronic Benefits Transfer card benefits were stolen. The new process—engineered in less than 90 days—will provide reimbursements for stolen benefits in 15 days or less.

Marylanders whose benefits were stolen between Oct. 1, 2022 and Feb. 28, 2023 must complete a reimbursement form no later than May 31 to have their benefits replaced. For thefts occurring on or after March 1, claims must be filed within 45 days of the discovery of the theft.

To file a claim:

1. Visit the EBT Fraud Claim Attestation form;
2. Complete the form;
3. Type your name on the signature line of the form; and
4. Click the submit button.

“The Marylanders we serve deserve world-class customer service,” said Maryland Department of Human Services Secretary Rafael López. “We are grateful for Governor Moore’s leadership and for all of our partners on the federal, state, and local level who supported our efforts and enabled us to make this happen so swiftly.”

Electronic Benefits Transfer theft by “skimming” is a problem nationally and occurs when a thief uses a device to steal the card number and PIN of an individual’s electronic benefits payment card to access their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or cash assistance benefits. In Maryland alone, more than 2,300 families and adults reported the loss of more than $1.6 million in benefits between October 1, 2022 and February 28, 2023.

To prevent future attempts at skimming, the Maryland Department of Human Services and Conduent, its technology partner, continue to enhance Maryland’s Electronic Benefit Transfer card system to make it more secure and robust. Enhancements include an interactive voice response adaptive fraud solution; a card lock/unlock feature available through a mobile app or online cardholder portal; and EBT fraud alerts to more closely monitor account activity.

“We look forward to continuing to partner with Maryland as it models a path forward for other states,” said USDA Deputy Under Secretary of Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services Stacy Dean. “USDA does not tolerate fraud in our FNS programs. Losing SNAP benefits is devastating for the victims and we will continue to work hand-in-hand with Maryland and our other state partners to replace these benefits that are so vital to the health and nutrition of SNAP families.”