Brooklyn residents and leaders of community-based organizations joined Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso on Thursday to urge the city and state to combat Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program fraud by creating a dedicated office to investigate the scams and help residents recover stolen benefits more quickly.
Brooklyn is at the epicenter of a SNAP theft crisis in New York City, Reynoso said. SNAP theft most commonly occurs through skimming schemes that steal EBT card information and drain recipients’ accounts, often before families have the opportunity to use them. Over $7 million worth of benefits were stolen from New Yorkers in the second quarter of fiscal year 2025, according to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
In a letter to New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistances and New York City Department of Social Services, Reynoso advocated for the creation of a dedicated Office of SNAP Fraud, an accelerated transition to secure chip-enabled EBT cards, expanded fraud reporting and enforcement mechanisms, a multilingual public education campaign on skimming prevention, and the establishment of a state-funded reimbursement program for victims whose benefits are stolen.
“Growing up, my family relied on SNAP, it was often the difference between having food on the table or going to bed hungry,” Reynoso said. “Today, too many families across New York City are struggling to afford basic necessities, and SNAP remains a vital lifeline in the fight against food insecurity. We cannot sit by idly while scammers prey on our neighbors and steal from the New Yorkers who need these benefits the most.
Leaders from Brooklyn organizations in attendance included United Jewish Organizations, Mixteca, JCC of North Brooklyn Williamsburg, Council of Peoples Organization and Flatbush Shomrim.
