DR1 Daily News - Dominican Republic

Social welfare cards with magnetic strips are being replaced by those with chips after a major card cloning scandal affecting an estimated 100,000 affiliates was uncovered. In the meanwhile, beneficiaries of the funds can now use these at major supermarket chains in Santo Domingo and San Cristóbal. The use of fraudulent cards occurred mainly at small minimarkets and not at the big stores.

Tony Peña Guaba, Social Cabinet Coordinator, said the measure is temporary until chip cards replace the current magnetic cards in a major effort to stop the theft of funds from the Supérate social welfare program. He said no unrecognized consumption had been reported in the large stores so far. Yet, 380 smaller stores are under investigation for unrecognized consumption by beneficiaries of the Superate and former Quedate en Casa social welfare programs.

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