Pennsylvanians should know DHS will never call or text them to request personal information but may communicate important messages 1-833-648-1964
Harrisburg, PA – Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) Secretary Dr. Val Arkoosh is informing Pennsylvanians of a potential scam phone call targeting individuals who receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits that directs the user to call a number to verify their identity, or their benefits could be canceled. This is a scam. DHS will never call or text an individual to request personal information. Benefit recipients are also reminded to lock their EBT cards when they are not in use to protect their benefits from theft and skimming.
“DHS will never ask for personal information in an unsolicited text message, email, or phone call. If someone is claiming to be from or affiliated with the Department and they are asking you for your personal information, it is a scam,” said Secretary Arkoosh. “Please do not fall victim to identity theft. If you ever receive a suspicious call asking you for information about your benefits, please inform the DHS fraud tip line immediately so the proper authorities can investigate. I also encourage people to use our new card lock safety feature on the ConnectEBT app or website that allows you to lock your EBT card when not in use to protect your SNAP and Cash benefits from skimming and theft.”
In this most recent scam, individuals have reported receiving a call from one of the numbers listed below that directs them to call back and verify their identity or their SNAP account will be closed. When calling the phone number, an automated recording says, “Thank you for calling the PA EBT Customer Service. Enter your card number.” These calls are not from PA DHS, and EBT users should not share their card number or any other personal or identifying information.
The scam phone numbers include:
- 888-273-6954
- 844-239-5136
- 888-592-8936
Please report any texts or calls about DHS benefits that seem suspicious by calling the DHS fraud tip line at 1-844-DHS-TIPS (1-844-347-8477).
DHS does send informational text messages and phone calls to people who receive SNAP, Medicaid, and other benefits only from the number 1-833-648-1964. To recognize future communication from DHS, benefit recipients are recommended to save this number in their contacts.
DHS' calls or text messages will not include:
Details about a person’s benefits, such as the amount of SNAP they are authorized to receive,
A request for specific personal information, and/or
Links to unofficial sites; most DHS texts will direct people to dhs.pa.gov, COMPASS, or a site that ends in .gov or .org.
Applications for public assistance programs can be securely submitted online at www.dhs.pa.gov/compass. On-site County Assistance Office (CAO) services are available if clients cannot access online services or need assistance that cannot be accessed through the COMPASS website, the MyCOMPASS PA mobile app, or by calling the Customer Service Centers at 215-560-7226 for Philadelphia clients or 1-877-395-8930 for clients in all other counties.
How to Lock your EBT Card
SNAP and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) recipients can lock and unlock their EBT cards using Conduent’s 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 online purchases.
Simply re-lock your card after use or use the auto re-lock feature to automatically re-lock the card 30, 60, or 90 minutes after unlocking.
WATCH a how-to video on how to use this new security feature:
Additional information can be found at www.dhs.pa.gov/scams
How to Change Your EBT Card PIN
We encourage 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 more information about skimming, including what steps to take if you believe your SNAP benefits were stolen, on our scams page, and the federal USDA's Food and Nutrition Service also has additional information on its webpage.