Suffolk Reporter

NYS Senator Dean Murray (R-Patchogue) has recently reached out to the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) Commissioner Barbara Guinn, seeking information on when the state will upgrade its Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) debit/benefit cards to chip technology.

Currently, NYS debit/benefit cards utilize swipe technology, making them susceptible to criminals who install "skimmers" on credit card terminals to steal funds. A report by WABC 7's investigative reporter Kristin Thorne revealed that skimmers have been used to steal tens of millions of dollars across New York State in the past year.

Senator Murray emphasized that taxpayers not only fund these benefits but also bear the cost of refunding stolen benefits. He stated, "This is one more burden the taxpayer should not have to bear and can and should be corrected as soon as possible."

As the Ranking Minority Member on the NYS Senate Social Services Committee, Senator Murray has collaborated with Committee Chairwoman NYS Senator Roxanne Persaud (D-Brooklyn) to urge OTDA to adopt chip-enabled cards.

Following a Channel 7 news story, OTDA officials announced they are in the early stages of transitioning NY EBT cardholders to chip technology. While Senator Murray welcomed this development, he noted, "every day that we continue to use the old swipe technology, taxpayers are losing money at the hands of these criminals."

In his letter, Senator Murray requested Commissioner Guinn expedite efforts and provide a realistic timeframe for implementing the new chip technology. He stated, “By switching to the safer and more secure chip technology, we can all but eliminate the skimmer problem and save millions of dollars for the taxpayers while also ensuring those in need are getting the help they are supposed to be receiving in a timely fashion.”