SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The California Department of Social Services launched a mobile app and web portal Friday to help EBT card users protect their benefits.
It’s called ebtEDGE and it lets cardholders freeze their card when it's not in use, block all online and out-of-state transactions, change their PIN number and request a replacement card.
This comes as thieves have stolen more than $86 million over the course of two years, according to the state, from CalFresh and CalWORKs recipients. These are people who rely on state benefits to afford groceries, rent and other necessities for themselves and their families.
Larry Peters has four kids and relies on EBT benefits to feed his family and provide for their needs.
However, he says, on three separate occasions he has had his EBT benefits stolen right off his card, with the third time being the hardest.
"I felt terrible. Because at the time, I was having a hardship and I had to borrow money from people and go through other means, use credit,” he said.
Peters is hardly alone. A long line stretched outside the Sacramento County Department of Human Assistance last week, as people waited to report missing benefits.
"Without this money, I wouldn't be able to buy the most basic necessities,” Darren Shay told ABC10.
The California Department of Social Services said counties, which administer these benefits, have two weeks to reimburse victims of theft. Anyone who believes they have become a victim of EBT benefits theft should contact their local county office, the state says.
"I was just like, 'I got robbed, virtually,’” said Nina, who works for a school district and gets benefits over the summer.
She asked we use just her first name because she says thieves stole $880 from her EBT account in September.
"It started making me think about all the places that I use my card. I figured maybe it was one of those stores. You know, when I slid [my card] in, it picked it up there. So I’m kind of selective where I use it now,” she said.
The Department of Social Services is working on solutions, including the launch of the ebtEDGE app and web portal.
"I think it's a good thing. I think it's pretty proactive of them to do,” said Nina. “However, I feel like with anything that's monitored by people or a system, I feel like anything can be compromised."
According to data provided by the Department of Social Services from July of 2021 through March of 2023, the state reimbursed victims of EBT theft more than $86 million, with the amount of monthly theft trending upward.
Department spokesperson Theresa Mier says the department is working with local, state, and federal law enforcement authorities to "mitigate the theft of EBT benefits by blocking suspicious transactions, identifying potential perpetrators and locating where skimmers have been placed. Multiple investigations are currently ongoing and arrests have been made.”
The department also plans on launching chip technology it its EBT cards starting next summer. Currently, all EBT cards just have the magnetic stripe.
“It’s important to note that other states do not use chip/tap EBT cards, as there are complex technological changes required to accomplish this effort, both in California and nationwide,” said Mier. “The 2023 Budget Act includes $50 million to support this effort.”
It has also published a 5-minute video showing people what to look for to avoid skimmers and other EBT card fraud.
More information on how to access the ebtEDGE app and portal can be found HERE.
