HARRISBURG – The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) and Office of State Inspector General (OSIG) will announce, this afternoon, the launch of a new electronic benefit transfer (EBT) card security feature to protect Pennsylvanians who receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and cash benefits from theft. Benefit recipients can now lock their EBT cards when they are not in use to protect their benefits from skimming and theft. DHS and OSIG have been aware of recent instances of SNAP theft in Pennsylvania and nationwide, especially in incidents of card skimming, where SNAP benefits are stolen off EBT cards after they are used at a point-of-sale machine with an attached skimming device. The new card lock feature is one-way individuals can protect their EBT cards while they are not in use. Locking an EBT card blocks all purchases, balance inquiries, and transactions to keep benefits secure.
