Whether they know it or not, Maryland taxpayers have been saved approximately $2.2 million thanks to the state’s transition to “chip-and-tap” Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards.
Gov. Wes Moore and the Maryland Department of Human Services (DHS) announced there was a significant decline in benefit theft which amounted to the $2.2 million saved. When benefits are stolen from deserving recipients, whether through hacks or fraud, the state reimburses the recipient.
From July to September 2026, Maryland’s reimbursements for stolen benefits dropped by 71% compared to the same period in 2025. That is considered a dramatic reduction in state expenditures.
“As prices rise across the nation, our administration is providing accessible and secure relief to Maryland families,” Moore said. “These EBT cards ensure that Marylanders can put food on the table without fear of stolen benefits, saving the state millions of dollars in the process. My administration will continue working to reduce fraud and delivering real results for communities that need it the most.”
Maryland was the fourth state in the nation to adopt use of the chip-enabled EBT cards. They are designed to make stolen card data harder to use for fraudulent transactions, blocking the usual card-skimming methods. This technology, combined with more sophisticated fraud monitoring, stronger claim validation processes, and a new EBT processor, all help make it harder for thieves to steal benefits.
In hard numbers, that means that total customer reimbursements for stolen benefits fell from roughly $3.14 million in the three-month period of July–Sept. 2025 to $898,000 during the same period in 2026. Total number of claims submitted by customers decreased by 65% (from 8,817 to 3,062), a sign that many fewer Marylanders experienced stolen benefits.
“Our highest priority is ensuring that vital food and cash assistance reach the Maryland families who need them—not the criminals attempting to steal them,” said Stacy L. Rodgers, acting secretary for the Maryland Department of Human Services. “Through our transition to chip-and-tap EBT technology, we are protecting state taxpayer dollars, reducing administrative burdens on our staff, and keeping benefits secure for our customers.”
Maryland has put significant effort into reducing fraud across all the major benefits programs. The programs are seeing tangible results from those efforts.
In the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), reimbursements for stolen benefits have dropped by 73 percent, from $2.54 million to $678,000. In the SUN Bucks program, reimbursements for stolen benefits have dropped by 79 percent from $49,000 to $10,500. In the Cash Assistance program, customer reimbursements for stolen benefits dropped by 62 percent from $555,000 to $208,000.
EBT cardholders should activate their cards immediately, if they have not already done so. The old magnetic-stripe-only cards will deactivate soon. Customers can call 1-800-997-2222 or go to one’s local department of social services for assistance.
