The South Carolina Department of Social Services wants to alert the public about a phishing campaign involving texts claiming EBT benefit cards are locked. DSS will never send clients a text message about locking a card and requiring a SNAP recipient to contact a 1-888- number and provide the client’s EBT card number to unlock the benefits.
If you are a SNAP recipient and receive a text claiming that your EBT card is locked, do not respond.
DSS reminds SNAP recipients to stay vigilant against unauthorized purchases using their EBT card.
Here are some additional steps you can take to protect yourself from potential fraud:
• Do not give your EBT card to non-authorized household members.
• Do not provide your EBT card number or PIN number to anyone outside your SNAP household, as this would give an individual access to your benefits.
• Your EBT card cannot be accessed without a PIN; Change your PIN often. You can do that today by calling the number on the back of your EBT card. You can also change your PIN online at https://www.connectebt.com/scebtclient/index.jsp.
• Routinely check the balance of your EBT card to ensure that there have been no unauthorized purchases. If you wish to check your balance online, make sure you are using Connect EBT which is supported by South Carolina’s EBT vendor, Conduent. You can register and create a client portal account on connectebt.com, or download the ConnectEBT mobile app on your iPhone or Android phone.
