Expert Alert: How to Protect Yourself from Emerging SNAP Scams in 2023

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(NEXSTAR) – As the deadline for a halt in SNAP benefits looms, millions of Americans face the risk of falling prey to scammers, experts and officials caution.

With more than 40 million individuals, including many children, bracing for the cessation of food assistance come November 1, the federal government has announced that unless the government shutdown is resolved, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits will not be replenished in November.

This situation provides an opportunity for scammers to exploit those in dire need of accessing or restoring their benefits, according to Clayton LiaBraaten, a senior adviser at the scam protection app TrueCaller.

“At this moment, with the government shutdown underway, scammers are capitalizing on people’s anxiety about losing their benefits to obtain personal information,” LiaBraaten notes.

SNAP recipients in Florida will not receive November benefits until federal funding is secured.

They can use the information they receive to drain victims’ remaining SNAP balances or commit identity theft.

There are several red flags you can look for to avoid getting scammed out of your SNAP benefits, LiaBraaten says. First off, you should be wary of any unsolicited communication by phone or text.

“Official SNAP representatives will not contact you out of the blue. If you did not initiate the contact, be cautious,” he says.

You should also be wary any time you’re being pressured to act quickly. “Scammers are social psychologists and will use high-pressure tactics to create a false sense of urgency, like claiming that your benefits are about to expire or that immediate action is needed to secure your benefits. This urgency is designed to cloud your judgment and get you to share personal details.”

If you get a text or call about your SNAP benefits that you’re not sure is legitimate, LiaBraaten advises to take a pause before engaging. Instead, call the official SNAP hotline for your state or county and get help that way.

What happens to SNAP benefits after Nov. 1?

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has said the federal government will not be sending out November food assistance as the government shutdown continues.

SNAP is funded by the federal government but administered by states. The USDA’s shutdown contingency plan allows the agency to tap into reserve funding to keep SNAP operating if the federal government remains shut for longer than a month. However, the Trump administration said it would not do that.

Each U.S. state is reacting to the news differently. While some are tapping into emergency funds to keep benefits flowing, others are directing residents to seek out help from food banks and charities.

While new funds may not be added, EBT cards will still work in November. Unused benefits from prior months will roll over and the remaining balance will still be accessible after Nov. 1.