New Jersey Begins Statewide Rollout of Secure Chip EBT Cards to Help Protect SNAP Benefits From Fraud
New Jersey is taking a major step to strengthen the security of food assistance benefits by introducing chip-enabled Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards for people enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Work First New Jersey (WFNJ) program. The move is part of the state’s broader effort to reduce benefit theft and better protect families who rely on these programs for everyday essentials.
The rollout will begin this summer with a pilot phase in Cumberland, Essex, and Mercer counties. Eligible SNAP and WFNJ recipients in these counties will receive the new chip-enabled EBT cards before the program expands across the rest of New Jersey.
State officials say the transition is designed to address a growing problem involving electronic theft of benefit funds. Criminals have increasingly targeted EBT cardholders by using skimming devices installed on payment terminals. These devices secretly capture card information and personal identification numbers (PINs), allowing thieves to access benefit accounts and steal funds intended for food and essential household needs.
According to New Jersey Human Services Commissioner Stephen Cha, the new chip technology is expected to provide stronger protection against this type of fraud. He said New Jersey is among only a small number of states that have either completed or are currently carrying out the transition to chip-enabled EBT cards.
State officials explained that the added security comes at an especially important time. Under current federal law, SNAP benefits that are electronically stolen can no longer be replaced. As a result, families who lose their benefits to fraud may have no way to recover the stolen funds. The new chip cards are intended to reduce that risk by making it more difficult for criminals to copy card information and access benefit accounts.
Deputy Commissioner for Social Services Michael J. Wilson said benefit theft creates additional financial pressure for households that already depend on assistance to meet basic needs. He said upgrading to chip-enabled cards is an important step toward improving security and helping ensure benefits remain available to the people they are meant to support.
Following the initial four-week pilot program, New Jersey plans to expand the rollout to all remaining counties across the state. In addition, anyone requesting a replacement EBT card during the transition will automatically receive a chip-enabled version.
The new cards will include several updated security features, including an embedded chip, an expiration date, and a three-digit security code. State officials clarified that while the card itself will have an expiration date, the benefits loaded onto the account will not expire because of the card’s validity period.
Recipients will not need to transfer their benefits manually. Existing SNAP and WFNJ balances will automatically move to the new chip cards once they are activated. Cardholders will have 90 days after receiving the replacement card to complete the activation process. Those who do not activate their new card within that period will need to request another replacement.
Current EBT cards will remain active for 60 days after the new chip cards are issued, giving recipients time to complete the transition without immediately losing access to their benefits.
New Jersey officials believe the upgraded cards will strengthen the state’s efforts to protect public assistance programs from fraud while helping ensure food assistance reaches the individuals and families who depend on it. The statewide transition represents one of the state’s latest measures to improve benefit security and reduce the impact of electronic theft on vulnerable households.
Sources
- New Jersey Department of Human Services
- U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service
