19-05-2025
New Alabama DHR measures hope to cut EBT food theft
MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG) — Officials with the Alabama Department of Human Resources are hoping new security measures will cut down on the theft of food benefits. Thousands of recipients have had their SNAP benefits taken remotely in Alabama in the last year through fraud.
DHR officials say SNAP recipients need to use a new online system to lock their account and unlock it whenever they're ready to buy something and lock it again when they're month, we told you about how DHR stopped tracking EBT theft after reimbursement funds to recipients ended in late 2024. DHR officials say the new online account lock feature is another tool in their security toolbox with more to follow later this year.
'This gives a lot of autonomy and security options for the actual user. So it allows them to be to secure their own card,' said DHR Food Assistance Director Brandon Hardin. 'It is one of the tools in our toolbox, and we're going to continue to roll out other features throughout this year. Some are skeptical of the changes and argue DHR isn't focusing on the right problem. Christopher Lewis in Chickasaw receives SNAP benefits after injuries from two vehicle crashes.
Christopher Lewis, theft victim: 'I don't think that would help too much at all. I think they really need to update their systems and go to the chip cards,' said Lewis. He says the onus should be on reimbursing the people who were harmed. 'I think it's wrong that they're not reimbursing us. The fraud has been going on for a while now and still nothing's being done about it.'
He says someone stole his EBT funds in Texas last month and he couldn't get it back. DHR officials say they'll hopefully start rolling out cards with microchip security in by the end of the year.
For more information on locking your EBT account, follow the link here to DHR's news release page.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
