HARRISBURG – Sen. Michele Brooks (R-50) today joined Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) Secretary Dr. Val Arkoosh and State Inspector General Michelle Henry to announce a significant advancement in the protection of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. At a press conference in Harrisburg, officials unveiled a new feature allowing SNAP recipients to lock and unlock their Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards through a secure mobile app.
The launch comes in response to a troubling surge in electronic benefit theft, including incidents in Brooks’ district. Among the thousands of cases reported to DHS, more than 100 cases of benefits thefts were reported in Crawford County in February. The actual losses from these cases alone exceeded $10,000.
From October 2022 to December 2024, DHS received more than 38,000 reports of stolen SNAP benefits and processed more than 23,000 claims.
“These thieves aren’t just stealing taxpayer money,” said Brooks. “They’re stealing food from children, seniors and families already struggling to make ends meet. That includes right here in our communities in northwest Pennsylvania, including Meadville, where we’ve seen families victimized by these scams.”
Brooks praised the new locking feature as a smart, proactive step to empower SNAP recipients to better protect their benefits from criminals.
“I applaud the Department of Human Services and Inspector General Michelle Henry for working to find real solutions to stop these crimes from happening,” Brooks said. “This new tool gives families more control over their benefits and makes it much harder for scammers to prey on our most vulnerable neighbors. I commend their work to combat fraud and protect the integrity of programs that so many rely on. It’s a strong, commonsense step toward making sure these benefits reach the people who truly need them.”
The new card lock option allows users to temporarily disable their EBT card when not in use, helping prevent unauthorized access. The feature is available through the state’s myCOMPASS PA mobile app. A step-by-step video tutorial is available from DHS.
More information about EBT scams and security is available at the Department of Human Services website.
CONTACT: Adam Gingrich