The Attorney General’s office is alerting recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, to a phishing scam targeting their personal information through false threats to restrict their monthly benefits.
The scam, reported initially to the New Hampshire Department of Justice Consumer Protection and Antitrust Bureau, involves callers using spoofed phone numbers to impersonate officers with the state’s Department of Health and Human Services.
These callers assert that unless a consumer confirms their Social Security number, date of birth or other sensitive information, their food assistance benefits will be withheld and their Electronic Benefits Transfer, or EBT, card will be restricted.
DHHS does not restrict or hold SNAP benefits, the department assured in a press release on Wednesday.
“Scammers often try and create a false sense of urgency,” said DHHS Commissioner Lori Weaver. “We urge SNAP recipients to be cautious, protect their personal information and contact DHHS if they receive a suspicious call.”
The Attorney General’s office urged SNAP recipients targeted by the phishing scam to not respond to unsolicited requests for sensitive, personal information. The state also encouraged people to monitor their EBT cards for unauthorized transactions and report any suspicious calls or account activity to DHHS and the Consumer Protection Bureau.
“These scams aim to take advantage of people when they may be feeling most vulnerable, and that’s unacceptable,” said Attorney General John Formella. “We would urge anyone receiving this type of suspicious communication to hang up, not respond, and to report it.”
If you or someone you know has been the target of this scam, contact DHHS Customer Service Center at 1-844-ASK-DHHS (1-844-275-3447) or file a complaint with the Consumer Protection Bureau by calling 1-888-468-4454 or visiting www.doj.nh.gov/citizens/consumer-protection-antitrust-bureau.