Malliotakis, Scarcella-Spanton Push Bipartisan Solution to Tackle SNAP Fraud
(STATEN ISLAND, NY) — Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11) and New York State Senator Jessica Scarcella-Spanton are announcing a joint bipartisan effort to combat Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) fraud impacting their constituents and communities across New York State and the nation.
Between October 2022 and December 2024, states reported over $320 million in SNAP theft, primarily driven by card skimming and cloning. Although the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has urged states to adopt Europay, Mastercard, and Visa (EMV) chip technology in Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards to prevent this fraud, only two states have begun issuing chip-enabled EBT cards.
Congresswoman Malliotakis has introduced legislation at the federal level (H.R. 7316 SNAP Payment Security and Fraud Prevention Act of 2026) that would require states to implement EMV chip technology and phase out magnetic stripes by 2030, while increasing penalties for SNAP theft to deter fraudsters. The legislation also expands the authority of the USDA Inspector General to investigate fraud, establishes an online SNAP portal for recipients to manage their benefits, and reduces EBT card replacement times to ensure consistent access to benefits. Together, these reforms will help SNAP recipients maintain reliable access to their benefits while saving states money. In California, one of the two states that have made the upgrade, officials have upgraded EBT cards, resulting in an 83% reduction in stolen SNAP reimbursements.
Senator Scarcella-Spanton has cosponsored legislation at the state level which would require the implementation of EMV Tech and requires cards to match industry standards by June 21, 2026.
“I am proud to stand with Senator Jessica Scarcella-Spanton in our shared commitment to combat this rampant fraud impacting our constituents. SNAP is a vital lifeline for thousands of families in our community, and this legislation will modernize the system, strengthen safeguards against abuse, and ensure taxpayer funds are protected and directed to those who truly rely on this program,” said Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis.
"The skimming of SNAP benefits has impacted far too many of our constituents, with my office receiving numerous calls from seniors who discovered their SNAP funds were missing after grocery shopping. Our families should not have to skip meals or stretch limited budgets because of a system failure beyond their control. That is why I have co-sponsored Senate Bill S1465, which would require the implementation of EMV technology and bring SNAP cards in line with industry security standards. New York State is actively working to address this shortcoming, as this measure was allocated funding in the 2026 New York State Executive Budget proposal and I encourage other states to do the same. This legislation will get the root of the problem to better protect public assistance funds from theft, protecting families already facing financial hardship. This bipartisan effort alongside Congresswoman Malliotakis will help ensure that New Yorkers approved for SNAP benefits do not have to worry about how they will put food on the table," said Senator Jessica Scarcella-Spanton.