NEWARK, NJ — With more than 500 Essex County residents’ government benefits were electronically stolen, authorities are urging people who receive assistance through electronic benefit transfer cards to take extra precautions.
Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo Jr. on Friday, Dec. 8, acknowledged the uptick in clients of the county’s Division of Family Assistance and Benefits reporting that their benefit funds were electronically stolen.
“Our Division of Family Assistance and Benefits is reviewing every claim and is re-issuing funds when our investigation concludes the money has fraudulently been taken from their accounts,” DiVincenzo said in a statement. “Our clients depend on these resources to feed their families, and we take this process very seriously.”
MORE: Newark Residents Report Spate of Stolen SNAP Benefits
The county shares the results of the investigations with federal and state law enforcement, and people found stealing can face federal charges, he said.
Earlier this week, numerous residents spoke with TAPinto Newark about having their benefit funds stolen starting at the beginning of the month. Part of the problem is that EBT cards, unlike credit cards, do not have electronic chips that protect against fraud.
Clients who have had their New Jersey Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (NJ SNAP) and/or Work First New Jersey (WFNJ) cash assistance benefits stolen electronically and need replacement benefits must complete a “Request For Replacement Of Electronically Stolen Benefits Form (EBT-20)” and return it to Essex County Board of Social Services/Division of Family Assistance and Benefits (DFAB), DiVincenzo said.
Clients are allowed a maximum of two reimbursements for stolen benefits, he said.
If clients would like assistance to complete the form, they can visit the DFAB office in person at 320-321 University Ave. in Newark or call 973-395-8000, officials said.
Clients must complete and return this form to DFAB within 30 days of discovering that their benefits were stolen, and they must immediately change their PIN or replace their EBT card, the county stated.
DiVincenzo said clients should protect themselves from becoming victims of electronic theft by:
Monitoring the balance on their cards
Frequently changing their PIN and making the new PIN significantly different than the original one
Not sharing their PIN with anyone else
Not telling a store clerk or checkout person their PIN
If people suspect a business or person is stealing benefits or committing fraud, they can report that to the NJ State Department of Human Services by:
Calling 800-792-9773 select option 5
Sending email to [email protected]
Completing the online form on the state Department of Human Resources website.
