Maryland Governor Wes Moore and the Maryland Department of Human Services (DHS) announced Wednesday that reimbursements for stolen public assistance benefits have dropped 71% following the state’s transition to more secure chip-and-tap Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards.
According to state officials, reimbursements for stolen benefits declined from approximately $3.14 million between July and September 2025 to $898,000 during the same period in 2026, a reduction of roughly $2.2 million.
The number of claims submitted by customers also decreased by 65%, falling from 8,817 to 3,062 during the three-month period.
Maryland became the fourth state in the country to introduce chip-enabled EBT cards, which are designed to reduce fraud by making it more difficult for criminals to use card information stolen through skimming devices. State officials attributed the decline to the new cards, enhanced fraud monitoring, stronger claim verification procedures and a new EBT processing system.
The reductions were reported across several assistance programs. Reimbursements for stolen Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits dropped 73%, from $2.54 million to $678,000. SUN Bucks reimbursements declined 79%, while cash assistance reimbursements fell 62%.
DHS is also reminding residents who have received new chip-enabled EBT cards to activate them as soon as possible, as older magnetic-stripe-only cards will soon be deactivated. Cardholders must establish a new PIN to complete activation. Benefit amounts, balances and deposit schedules will remain unchanged.
Residents who have not received a replacement card or need assistance activating one can contact EBT Vendor Services at 1-800-997-2222 or visit their local department of social services.
