Protect Your Benefits - Lock Your EBT Card

How to Easily Lock and Unlock Your EBT Card with ConnectEBT

Pennsylvania is proud to offer a new EBT card lock safety feature now available through ConnectEBT. Locking an EBT card blocks all purchases, balance inquiries, and transactions to keep benefits secure. EBT cardholders should always lock their card when it is not in use, then simply unlock before making a purchase.

SNAP and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) recipients can lock and unlock their EBT cards using the free, and secure ConnectEBT app, available on Apple and GooglePlay app stores, or via the Connect EBT website.

Upon creating or logging into their ConnectEBT app or website user account, recipients can simply tap the Lock/Unlock Card button.

There are two options for the card lock feature:

• “Lock My Card Everywhere” will prevent all types of purchases, including in store and online purchases.
• “Lock My Card Outside PA” will prevent all purchases at stores outside Pennsylvania but will still allow purchases in Pennsylvania and will also allow all internet purchases.

Users should simply re-lock their card after use or use the auto re-lock feature to automatically re-lock the card 30, 60, or 90 minutes after unlocking.

Additional info, including an EBT Locking Feature Flyer, can be found at www.dhs.pa.gov/scams.

How to Change Your EBT Card PIN

Even with the new card lock and unlock feature, DHS still encourages SNAP recipients to change their EBT PIN at least monthly and right before their payment date to prevent theft. SNAP benefits are issued onto EBT cards monthly, and the issuance schedule for SNAP benefits varies by county.

SNAP recipients can change their EBT card PIN:

• By Phone: DHS' EBT Recipient Hotline is available at 1-888-EBT-PENN (1-888-328-7366) and is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
• Online: Users can change their PIN online through DHS’ EBT contractor, Conduent, via their Connect EBT website.
• Via Mobile App: Users can also change their PIN online through two separate apps:
  • Conduent’s secure ConnectEBT app, available for free on Apple and GooglePlay app stores.
  • DHS’ myCOMPASS PA mobile app, Pennsylvania’s official  and secure mobile app, available for free on Apple and GooglePlay app stores. SNAP recipients can also monitor their SNAP benefits and transactions regularly through the myCOMPASS PA mobile app.

DHS has previously implemented enhanced EBT card PIN security in response to these skimming incidents and is working with our EBT contractor, Conduent, and the USDA's Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) to evaluate options to further enhance EBT security in the future.

Prevent Card Skimming

Skimming does not just happen immediately after a card is swiped; thieves often collect access information like a PIN and continue to steal benefits to maximize their gain. DHS urges benefit recipients to lock their EBT card and change their PIN monthly to further prevent theft.

Pennsylvanians are urged to take an extra look before swiping their card at a point-of-sale machine to ensure there is no skimming attachment.

Retailers must also remain vigilant and be responsible for the removal of skimming devices in order to protect their customers.

Skimming devices, often called skimmers, are designed to blend in and deceive customers, but there are ways to identify a fraudulent device:

• Observe the size. Skimming devices are often placed over the legitimate card reader. Making them larger than legitimate card readers.
• Pull at the edges of the point-of-sale device before use. Skimming devices are often attached with glue or tape.
• Look for security stickers. Some legitimate devices may have a security label or holographic decal on the front or top of the card reader.

The image above shows the slight differences between a skimming device and legitimate card reader. The device on the left is a skimmer. The edges are larger than the legitimate device shown on the right. These subtle differences are designed to trick consumers.

If a customer finds a skimming machine at a point-of-sale, they should immediately alert the retailer and should also call law enforcement and the OSIG Public Benefits Fraud hotline (1-800-932-0582).

OSIG outlines ways to prevent SNAP theft on the OSIG website, including ways to recognize card skimmers. The FBI also provides additional skimming prevention information and graphics on skimming attachments on the FBI website.

Report Stolen Benefits and Request a New EBT Card

If your SNAP benefits are stolen from an EBT card, that theft should be immediately reported to local law enforcement and to OSIG by calling 1-800-932-0582.

If an individual's benefits are stolen, they should request a replacement EBT card as soon as possible from DHS’ EBT contractor, Conduent, at 888-328-7366, or by contacting their local County Assistance Office. Card replacement fees are waived when electronic theft is reported.  

Note: You must unlock your card before a replacement card can be made.

Due to the end of Congressional authorization of funds to replace stolen benefits, benefits stolen after December 20, 2024, cannot be reissued by DHS.