(Posted 2025 May)
Scammers are targeting electronic benefits transfer (EBT) cardholders nationwide. Virginia, like most states, is unable to replace missing or stolen EBT funds, so it's important to protect your card and benefits.
Keep your PIN secret. Do not share your PIN with anyone outside your household. Cover the keypad when you enter your PIN on a machine.
Check your EBT account regularly for unauthorized charges. If you notice any, change your PIN immediately to stop the thief from making any new purchases by calling 1-866-281-2448.
Before you shop, know your balance by any of these ways:
- Save your receipts. The receipts always show how much you spent and how much is left in your account.
- On the Internet, go to ConnectEBT.com and follow the Virginia link. Besides your balance, you can see your last 90 days of transactions online too.
- Call Connect EBT Customer Service: 1-866-281-2448
- Some grocery stores have a point-of-sale (POS) machine in their customer service area, where you can swipe your card and check your balance before you shop.
Check card reading machines to make sure there’s nothing suspicious overlayed or attached to the card swiper or keypad. The overlays can be difficult to detect but are often bigger than the original machine and may hide parts of the machine.
Download the ConnectEBT app (available for free on the Apple and Google app stores) to lock your EBT card from your phone after checkout.
