Two scams in 2024 which have the state government’s attention and can be found on their website are centered around the EBT card for SNAP Benefits. On a list of known scams regarding state programs. some scams target Medicaid but the majority of scams since 2022 have revolved around SNAP and EBT.
The latest scam brought to the public’s attention in June is EBT Skimming for SNAP benefits. Reports of stolen SNAP benefits in the Philadelphia and Southeastern Pennsylvania region due to card skimming devices and has referred these reports to the US Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service, which oversees SNAP and SNAP retailers nationwide. Individuals are also encouraged to report any SNAP theft to local law enforcement. DHS wants anyone targeted by this scam to contact the DHS fraud tip line: 1-844-DHS-TIPS (1-844-347-8477) or the Office of State Inspector General (OSIG) website.
Another scam revolving around the EBT card was first acknowledged in April of this year. A text message is received claiming the “EBT card is locked”. The scam message tells recipients to call a phone number or email an address with what appears to be a “pa.gov” email address to unlock the EBT card. If this message is received, DHS wants the person to County Assistance Offices. Lower Bucks County’s office is located at1214 Veterans Highway in Bristol and the office is open 8 a.m.-5 p.m. An example of a scam message is “Either call 1(888) 414-0029 with message ID# 82784 to unlock the account or email 21411@bovs[dot]pa.gov to unlock the EBT card.”
Check the state government’s site for information on these and other scams
DHS has developed a process for reissuing benefits stolen via card skimming, fraud, or other electronic theft. Click here for the steps to get benefits restored and look under the title “What To Do”.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), according to DHS, helps Pennsylvanians buy food. People in eligible low-income households can obtain more nutritious diets with SNAP increasing their food purchasing power at grocery stores and supermarkets.
Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) is a benefit delivery system that provides public assistance recipients with electronic access to their cash and SNAP benefits, defined by the DHS.
Scammers have nothing better to do and new scams are happening all the time; The Department of Human Services (DHS) provides some general tips to protect you and your accounts.
General tips provided by the DHS are:
- Never give out personal or account information over the phone, in email, or via text messages.
- Benefits such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) should never be used without the official EBT card present.
- If you have questions or believe your account has been compromised, immediately contact your local County Assistance Office.
- If theft is believed to have occurred, the CAO will cancel your current EBT card and issue you a replacement EBT card. This is a preventative measure as just changing your PIN may not prevent future theft from occurring since the perpetrator still has your active card number. By sending a new card, it will cancel the previous card number as an extra layer of protection for your benefits
- In general, it is a good idea to check your EBT balance and purchase history every few days to make sure there are no unexpected balance inquiries or purchases. We also recommend changing your PIN every two to three months.