DHS Warns of Potential SNAP Scam

The state Department of Human Services (DHS) is warning state residents of a potential scam targeting individuals who receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.

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The SNAP benefits scam involves a social media post directing individuals to an offer for emergency SNAP benefits. It provides a link to a website, where it obtains their personal information, said DHS Secretary Dr. Val Arkoosh.

The scam, primarily found on Facebook, includes a link to a Google form, beginning with a “sites.google.com” address. It implies that SNAP recipients may be eligible for $750 in emergency benefits if they fill out personal payment information.

The post also states that there is an application deadline. However, SNAP benefits never include such a deadline.

“DHS will never ask for personal information on Facebook, on a Google site, in an unsolicited email, text message, or phone call,” Arkoosh said in a news release. “If someone is claiming to be from or affiliated with the department and they are asking you for your personal information, it is a scam.”

DHS will send informational texts and phone calls to recipients of SNAP, Medicaid, and other benefits from the number 1-833-648-1964. However, these messages and calls will not include:

  • Details from a person’s benefits, such as the amount of SNAP they are authorized to receive

  • A request for specific personal information

  • Links to unofficial sites; most DHS texts will direct people to dhs.pa.gov, COMPASS, or a site ending in .gov or .org.

Reporting Scams

Those who have encountered scams of this nature should call the DHS fraud tip line at 1-844-347-8477 (TIPS).

Reports can also be made to the Office of the State Inspector General’s. Residents can also contact the Public Assistance Fraud Tipline at 1-800-932-0582.

Pennsylvanians with questions about whether a call, text, or other communication is legitimate should contact DHS’s Office of Income Maintenance.

Applications for Public Assistance

Applications for public assistance programs can be securely submitted online at www.dhs.pa.gov/compass. On-site County Assistance Office (CAO) services are available if clients cannot access online services or need assistance that cannot be accessed through the COMPASS website, the MyCOMPASS PA mobile app, or by calling 1-877-395-8930.

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