Clarifying Information - WAC 388-412-0040

Benefits stolen via card skimming, card cloning and other similar fraudulent methods

If food benefits were stolen between August 23, 2023, and December 20, 2024, the head of household must submit the claim within 30 days of discovering the loss. Note: For food benefits stolen between October 1, 2022, and August 22, 2023; the Head of Household had until October 22, 2023, to submit a claim but no later than September 19, 2025.

If cash benefits were stolen between July 1, 2024, and December 20, 2024, the head of household must submit the claim within 30 days of discovering the loss but no later than September 19, 2025.

An authorized representative can request replacements and complete the attestation or the DSHS Claim of Stolen Benefits form only when there is a power of attorney or legal guardianship on file.

The head of household can submit a claim, on or before September 19, 2025, by completing an attestation over the phone or by completing the ‘DSHS Claim of Stolen EBT Benefits’ form. For claims received via: Phone: Telephonic signatures are accepted for attestations received via inbound or outbound calls. To ensure reported information has been captured correctly; a ‘DSHS Claim of Stolen EBT Benefits Interactive Confirmation’ form will be sent after the attestation has been completed. In-person: After completion, offer the client a copy of their signed ‘DSHS Claim of Stolen EBT Benefits’ form. Electronic Case Record: CSD eligibility staff will only process claims for CSD clients. See subsection 7 of this section for directions on HCS and DDA clients.

If the client withdraws the request for replacement before the attestation is completed or before signing; then we won’t consider it a valid claim. The worker will document the interaction in the narrative.

‘DSHS Claim of Stolen EBT Benefits’ forms must be received on or before September 19, 2025 and: Must be signed by the head of household. Can be submitted in person, by mail, fax, MyDocs or drop box. Will not be valid if information is missing that eligibility staff cannot verify. If information is missing from the form, the eligibility worker will attempt to obtain the information by calling the client and/or using barcode transaction history. If the information cannot be obtained, a general correspondence letter will be sent giving the client 10 days to provide the missing information. Previous versions of the DSHS Claim of Stolen EBT Benefits form must be accepted as long as the form is completed and signed.

Home and Community Services (HCS) and Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA) will process claims for their clients. HCS and DDA clients can submit a claim on or before September 19, 2025 by contacting: Home and Community Services (HCS) Visit the local HCS office during normal business hours, Call the assigned Public Benefit Specialist Complete, sign, and return the DSHS Claim of Stolen EBT Benefits (DSHS 27-221) form by: Mail to P.O. Box 45826, Olympia, WA 98504 or Fax to 855-635-8305. Developmental Disabilities Community Services (DDA) Call DDAat 855-873-0642 Complete, sign, and return the DSHS Claim of Stolen EBT Benefits form by: Mail to P.O. Box 45826 Olympia, WA 98504 or Fax to 855-635-8305.

The Washington State Working Family Support – WFS is not eligible for replacement if stolen via skimming, cloning or another fraudulent method.

The following benefits are eligible for replacement if stolen via skimming, cloning or another fraudulent method: Basic Food Food Assistance Program (FAP) Transitional Food Assistance (TFA) Washington Combined Application Program (WASHCAP) Emergency Allotment due to COVID (EA) Disaster SNAP Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) (Including Diaper Related Payments) State Family Assistance (SFA) (Including Diaper Related Payments) Pregnant Women Assistance (PWA) Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA) Aged, Blind, or Disabled (ABD) Cash Assistance

Missing information from the ‘DSHS Claim of Stolen EBT Benefits’ form must be received within 10 days from the client’s report of stolen benefits; information provided after 10 days will be considered a new request.

An attestation/claim form without the head of household’s signature is invalid and will not be considered as a request for replacement. If a signature from the head of household is missing, the department will contact the client. The ‘date of request’ will be the date the department receives the signature.

General Correspondence letters will be used to request missing information and inform clients about approvals and denials.

Validation of claims and replacement amounts will be determined only by EBT Headquarters.

Validation of claims will be completed within 14 calendar days of the date all required information is received. Replacement benefits will be issued within 14 calendar days of validation.

There are no retroactive cash replacements for cash benefits stolen prior to July 1, 2024.

Replacements will be the lesser of the amount stolen or the amount equal to two times the monthly allotment issued to the household immediately prior to the date benefits were stolen.

If a theft occurs over the course of several transactions and several days, calculations for the amount of replacement benefits will be determined based on the date of the first occurrence of theft.

Trafficked benefits aren’t eligible for replacement.

Provisional Credits don’t fall under the category of stolen benefits. A provisional credit is a reimbursement to a client who has reported that their EBT account was charged incorrectly. The reimbursement is issued by the EBT Vendor as a credit adjustment to the EBT account.

Federal Law prohibits no more than two replacements during the current federal fiscal year. The current federal fiscal year is 10/1/2024 through 9/30/2025.

State rule prohibits no more than two cash replacements during the current federal fiscal year. Food and cash replacement limits are tracked separately.

September 19, 2025 is the final day to file a claim. Claims received after September 19th will be denied.

EXAMPLES:

Tommy’s sister Sandra is his authorized representative. Unbeknownst to Tommy, Sandra spends the entire allotment of food benefits for the month of July. Tommy isn’t eligible for replacement because Sandra is his authorized representative and has permission to use his EBT card. This situation doesn’t meet the definition of skimming, cloning, etc.

A household receives $700 in Consolidated Emergency Assistance Program (CEAP) benefits on August 3rd. They call the department to report cash benefits were stolen from their EBT card on August 15th. The household isn’t eligible for replacement because CEAP is not a cash program authorized for replacement.

Maria lost her wallet on August 10th which included her EBT card. She contacted the department on August 14th to report the lost EBT card and received a replacement card that same day. She discovers $500 in food benefits are missing. She calls the department on August 15th to request replacement. A review of the case shows $500 was spent at a Walmart in Florida on August 11th. Maria isn’t eligible for replacement because the EBT card wasn’t in her possession at the time her benefits were stolen.

Ji-hoon receives food and cash benefits. He reports his entire food and cash allotments for the month of August are missing. The department (EBT HQ) confirm the food and cash benefits were used in New York state via skimming, cloning or another fraudulent method. Ji-hoon is eligible to have his food and cash replaced for the month of August.

A household reports a loss of $100 on March 1st because of skimming. The last monthly allotment was issued on February 10th for $250 (two months of their last monthly allotment is equal to $500). The household would receive $100 in replacement benefits, as it is the lesser of the two.

A household receives their $200 monthly allotment on June 15th but realizes and reports on June 20th $250 in benefits were stolen in multiple transactions between June 17th and June 18th. In this situation, the June 15th allotment is the monthly allotment that took place immediately prior to June 17th, the first date of theft. The household would receive the reported $250 loss in replacement benefits, as it is less than twice the June allotment, which totals $400.

Household receives their normal allotment of $200 issued on the 10th of each month. Benefits totaling $300 are stolen through skimming on the 15th of the month. The household would be eligible to receive $300 in replaced benefits as the actual amount stolen ($300) is less than 2 times the last monthly allotment issued ($400) immediately prior to the date when the benefits were stolen.

Household receives their normal allotment of $200 issued on the 10th of each month. Benefits totaling $500 are stolen through skimming on the 15th of the month. The household would be eligible to receive $400 in replaced benefits as two times the last monthly allotment issued ($400) immediately prior to the date when the benefits were stolen is less than the actual amount stolen ($500).

Household applied for benefits on May 17th and was approved for benefits on May 27th. Because the application was received after the 16th of the month, the household was issued prorated May benefits of $80 and their full June benefits of $120 on May 27th. The household has $140 in benefits stolen though skimming on June 15th. The household would be eligible to receive $140 in replaced benefits as the actual amount stolen ($140) is less than 2 times the last monthly allotment issued ($240) immediately prior to the date when the benefits were stolen.

On July 15th, the household received their regular allotment of $60 and an emergency supplement of $370 to bring the household up to the two-person maximum of $430. Benefits totaling $400 are stolen through skimming on July 20th. The household would be eligible to receive $400 in replaced benefits as the actual amount stolen ($400) is less than two times the last monthly allotment issued ($860) immediately prior to the date when the benefits were stolen.