Alabama’s Department of Human Resources (DHR) is working on security upgrades to its SNAP EBT system in the wake of scammers stealing millions of dollars from users in recent months.

DHR believes that these people are using skimmers on top of credit card devices at businesses and phishing calls to drain peoples’ EBT accounts before they can access the money, according to recent releases from the agency.

To combat this, DHR is working to convert all EBT cards to have chips in them which they say will increase security. But people may not receive them until 2025.

In the meantime, DHR recommends these tips to further protect against scams:

• Never provide personal information to an unfamiliar person or organization.
• If a phone call seems like a scam, hang up without giving any information.
• Beware that scammers often pressure victims to “act now!”
• If an offer or claim sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
• Do not trust caller ID. Scammers can use “spoofing” technology to disguise their phone numbers.
• Never give anyone the PIN number for your EBT card.

SNAP recipients who are unsure if a request for information is legitimate should contact their local DHR office at a verified phone number, according to the DHR website.

Contact information is available at https://dhr.alabama.gov/county-office-contact/.

Last year, Alabama became the fourth state approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service to implement a plan for reimbursing victims.

To request replacement benefits, DHR advises victims to contact their county office and report their SNAP benefits stolen within 30 days of discovery.

“We cannot let thieves rob low-income families of their ability to put food on the table,” said Alabama DHR Commissioner Nancy Buckner.

“Replacing stolen benefits will support uninterrupted access to nutritious meals for victims of SNAP fraud who rely on this program to feed their families.”