For Americans who are on food stamps, there's a good-news,bad-news situation that you should know about. The good news first: October SNAP benefits are going to increase again, and so you can expect another $100 or so in your account and available on your EBT card. The bad news: There's currently a lot of fraud going around in America right now, where scammers are scanning EBT cards and stealing SNAP benefits from the poorest Americans. Obviously this is atrocious and it's really hard to believe that criminals would steal from the poorest and most desperate Americans. Then again, that's basically what criminals do; that's why they're criminals. So if you're on food stamps, the USDA is warning that you should take extra precautions in order to keep your SNAP benefits safe. This all starts with protecting your EBT card, the exchange medium used to cash in your benefits.

There are two ways that scammers can steal your EBT card information and drain your SNAP account. The first way is that they can install magnetic strip readers in ATM machines and those card readers at the store. These pieces of equipment are fairly sophisticated and quite slim. It's hard to notice that they've been installed. What typically happens is a criminal comes into a store early in the day, plugs the readers into a card-swiping machine, and then comes to collect it before the store closes. More often than not, no one even notices that it's been installed. This is because the swiping mechanism is on the back of the machine. So, the criminal is collecting a lot of card data, and it's proving to be easier for them to figure out the pins for EBT cards so they can steal SNAP benefits.

The other way this is done is a far more sophisticated endeavor. It happens via a handheld RFID reader. RFID stands for radio frequency identification, and these machines can actually pull your card's data right off, even if it's in your pocket, wallet or purse. Again, many criminals are targeting EBT cards because they're typically easier to get through that second step and steal the money from your account.
 

Try an RFID Blocking Wallet or Card Sleeve

One of the best ways to prevent this type of fraud is to invest in any sort of technology that blocks RFID readers. Of course, if you're on food stamps, you likely don't have a lot of money to fork over for a fancy wallet, like a Ridge wallet or another type that can block these readers. However, they also sell card sleeves for maybe a dollar or two. They're really cheap and in abundance. You can find them at Walmart, Target and other stores, as well as at hundreds of different online stores. You simply slide your card into a sleeve before you carry it around with you, and it's protected from scammers who might follow you around and use an RFID reader to steal your information.

An added benefit of going with a card sleeve is that it protects the strip and the chip better on the card, so they don't become faulty. It's embarrassing and incredibly inconvenient to go through a store, do your shopping, and have to leave without anything because the machine wouldn't read your card. Then you'll have to wait days on end for a replacement to arrive. Keeping it in a sleeve keeps it a lot safer.
 

Never Use Your Card with a Sketchy Machine

If you're using your EBT card at an ATM machine or with an in-store swiping machine, always make sure to check if it's been tampered with. This is a habit you should develop, and it will only take you a few seconds. Just run your fingers down the middle of the swiping mechanism. You will be able to feel if someone put something foreign in there. You might not be able to see it with the naked eye, but you will certainly feel it. Also see if there's some sort of overlay on the number pad. If there is, ask the clerk if they put that on there. Sometimes scammers will use these to try to figure out the pin numbers of cards.

There are all sorts of things you can do to protect yourself. Change your pin often and make sure it's not obvious. Don't let anyone else use your EBT card. And always be cautious about handing it over to someone physically.