If you shop with SNAP benefits at a convenience store in Port Jefferson Station, a change is coming to how you pay. New York is replacing its old swipe-only EBT cards with new chip-and-tap cards, and the stores that accept them need to be ready before the new cards start arriving in 2027.
Myth: EBT cards already have the same chip security as credit cards
Many shoppers assume their EBT card works like any other card in their wallet, with a chip that blocks thieves from stealing the balance. The reality is different. Most debit and credit card companies have already adopted chip-and-tap technology, but the Electronic Benefit Transfer cards that the SNAP program uses still rely on much more vulnerable swipe technology. That gap is exactly what fraudsters target when they want to take someone's benefits, and it means the card in your pocket does not have the same protection as your debit or credit card.
Fact: New York is issuing chip-and-tap EBT cards starting in 2027
The state is making the switch to fight benefit theft. Starting in 2027, the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance will begin rolling out new benefits cards for New Yorkers enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. The new cards come with chip-and-tap-enabled technology, a security feature that Queens lawmakers say will prevent scammers and hackers from electronically stealing SNAP benefits. Chip-enabled cards are set to be distributed in early 2027, and the state's old magnetic-strip EBT cards will no longer work once the new cards are issued. The measure comes in response to reports that the state received 34,000 claims for stolen SNAP benefits within the last 12 months totaling $17.1 million, most of which cannot be recovered.
Why the change matters for local shoppers
SNAP benefit theft is a real problem, not a distant one. In 2024, over $54 million in benefits were reported stolen from SNAP users, though the actual total of stolen benefits is likely much higher. According to Queens Assemblymember Nily Rozic, there were over 85,000 reported cases of SNAP benefits being skimmed from recipients in 2024 across the state. The most common way fraudsters steal benefits is through "skimming," a practice in which devices at grocery checkout terminals capture card numbers and PINs, which scammers later use to siphon funds from the card. Chip-and-tap technology makes that kind of skimming far harder to pull off, which means safer shopping for families who depend on these benefits. Because federal reimbursement funding for fraud victims expired in 2025, stolen benefits are often gone for good, so prevention matters more now than it used to.
What stores need to do by December 1
The change affects not just cardholders but the shops where they shop. Every supermarket, convenience store, bodega or any other grocer that accepts SNAP benefits will be required to update its point-of-sale devices to accept the new EBT cards by Dec. 1. Stores that have not upgraded will find their current devices cannot accept SNAP payments once the new cards are issued. There won't be penalties for stores that miss the deadline, but their customers will not be able to pay with SNAP at the register. Grace Meng, who represents parts of Flushing, encouraged retailers to make the switch to tap-enabled devices to prevent service or business disruption ahead of the holidays. For neighborhood shops that serve SNAP customers, upgrading the terminal is how they keep business flowing through the holidays and into 2027.
What to do now
- If you use SNAP, watch for your new chip-and-tap card arriving in early 2027 and keep your current card working until then.
- Ask the stores where you shop whether their payment terminals are being updated for the new EBT cards.
- Protect your PIN at the checkout, just as you would with any debit or credit card.
- If your card is stolen or skimmed, report it right away so the state can investigate.
We are proud to accept SNAP at our Port Jefferson Station store, and we are getting our payment terminals ready for the change. You can see what we carry before you come, and our visit page has our hours and location if you want to stop by.
Sources
- Queens officials tout new EBT cards to prevent SNAP benefit theft — Queens Daily Eagle, October 23, 2026
- Liu, Rozic encourage NY retailers to update technology to accept new chip-and-tap EBT cards — QNS, October 22, 2026