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Title 7: SNAP Page 19 Iowa Department of Health and Human Services Employees’ Manual Chapter H: Adjustments Report of Stole SNAP Benefits Revised October 11, 2024
These fraudulent practices include, but are not limited to: ▪ Cloning: The creation of an unauthorized copy of a card. ▪ Skimming: A device is installed to see and collect card information, including the card number and PIN. ▪ Phishing: The fraudulent practice of texting or emailing claiming to be from a known company (HHS or the EBT Customer Service Center) to convince someone to reveal their personal information, such as their EBT card number or PIN. NOTE: These policies don’t apply to SNAP benefits that were taken because: ▪ their physical EBT card was lost or stolen, or ▪ they let someone use their card, or card number, and they spent more than they should have or purchased items not for the household. In these instances, see Replacement of Food When an EBT Card is Lost or Stolen. Households must report that their SNAP benefits were stolen within 10 days of the date they discover their benefits were stolen. After reporting the loss, a household member or household’s authorized representative has 30 calendar days to sign and return form 470-5771, Report of Stolen SNAP Benefits. When the 30th day falls on a weekend or holiday, the signed form must be received by the next working day. If the client fails to report the stolen benefits within 10 days of discovery or if form is returned after the 30th day, the request will be denied as untimely. The household must attest to their benefit loss on form 470-5771, Report of Stolen SNAP Benefits. Review the information provided by the client and validate the claim which can be done through various methods, including but not limited to: comparing the client’s self-attested information to EPPIC transactions, retailer or news media reports of identified skimming devices, etc. Replacement benefits must be received by the household within 10 calendar days of the report of loss or within 10 calendar days of receiving the completed form, whichever date is later. The amount of replaced benefits cannot be more than the lesser of the amount of benefits stolen or the amount equal to two months of allotment immediately prior to the date the benefits were stolen. P-EBT benefits cannot be replaced. Benefits can only be replaced if the fraud occurred between October 1, 2022 and December 20, 2024. A household can only have benefits replaced due to fraud two times per federal fiscal year (FFY). The FFYs stolen benefits can be replaced are October 1, 2022-September 30, 2023 and October 1, 2023-December 20, 2024.