If your EBT card is lost or stolen, call your state’s EBT customer service line immediately — the card gets deactivated and a replacement mailed, usually free. But if your benefits were stolen through skimming, the answer changed: federal reimbursement for skimmed SNAP benefits ended for theft occurring after December 21, 2024, and now only some states replace stolen benefits with their own money.
Here is the difference between replacing a card and replacing benefits, and how to protect your balance either way.
How Do You Replace a Lost or Stolen EBT Card?
Three steps, same in every state:
- Call the EBT customer service number on the back of the card (or in your state’s SNAP portal) and report it lost or stolen — the card is deactivated at that moment.
- Request the replacement card. Most states mail it within 5-7 business days; some offer same-day pickup at local offices.
- Set a new PIN when the card arrives — never reuse the old one.
Your benefit balance stays attached to your account, not the plastic — losing the card does not lose the money, as long as nobody spends it before you report.
Can You Get Skimmed SNAP Benefits Back in 2026?
Usually not from the federal government. Congress funded replacement of skimmed benefits only through December 20, 2024 — the continuing resolution signed December 21, 2024 dropped it, so SNAP benefits stolen from that date forward cannot be replaced with federal funds (USDA — stolen benefits).
What’s left is a state-by-state patchwork:
| State approach | Example |
|---|---|
| State-funded SNAP replacement | Illinois still replaces benefits stolen by skimming or cloning |
| Cash/TANF replacement only | Indiana reimburses skimmed TANF benefits |
| No longer accepting claims | New York stopped accepting SNAP replacement claims September 30, 2025 |
If you’re skimmed, file a claim with your state anyway — policies keep shifting, and a filed claim is the only way to get whatever your state offers.
How Does Skimming Actually Happen?
Thieves attach a reader over the card slot at an ATM or store terminal, copy your card data and PIN, then clone the card and drain the balance — typically minutes after your deposit posts, because thieves know state deposit schedules too.
EBT cards are the softest target in the payment system: most are still magnetic-stripe cards without the chip protection debit cards have, though several states have begun issuing chip cards.
What Protects Your Balance Best?
Five habits, all free:
- Change your PIN before every deposit date — cloned card data is useless without the current PIN.
- Check your transaction history weekly in your state’s EBT app or portal, and report anything unfamiliar immediately.
- Freeze or lock your card between purchases if your state’s app supports it — this one feature stops most skimming losses.
- Block out-of-state and online transactions where the app allows.
- Never share your PIN, and ignore texts or calls claiming to be "EBT security" — agencies never ask for your PIN.
A drained balance also doesn’t change your ongoing eligibility — your regular deposits continue, and your SNAP recertification deadlines stay the same. If theft leaves you with nothing to buy food this week, ask your local office about emergency options like expedited SNAP if your case fits.
FAQ
Does reporting a stolen card replace the stolen money?
No — reporting stops future theft and gets you a new card. Money already spent is only recoverable where a state replacement program exists.
How fast do I need to report skimming?
Immediately, and file the state claim as soon as you notice — states with programs set claim windows, often 30-90 days from discovery.
Will SNAP benefits expire while I wait for a new card?
No. Benefits stay in the account; most states only remove benefits after 6-9 months of no use at all.
Are chip EBT cards coming?
Some states have started issuing them, but as of July 2026 most EBT cards remain magnetic-stripe — which is why the PIN-change and card-lock habits matter.
Income rules, by the way, are unaffected by any of this — the current thresholds are in SNAP income limits 2026.