(LITTLE ROCK, Ark.) — Families who receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits in Arkansas should change their electronic benefit transfer (EBT) card PINs immediately to best protect their accounts from scammers, the Arkansas Department of Human Services (DHS) warned today.
 
SNAP recipients can change their PINs by calling the EBT Customer Service line at 1-800-997-9999 and following the prompts to reset their PIN, or online by visiting the Arkansas Electronic Benefit Transfer portal. To ensure beneficiaries are accessing the authentic portal, they can find the link posted at ar.gov/SNAPfraud. 
 
Once a beneficiary has created an online account through the website, they can also change their PIN by downloading the ConnectEBT app by Conduent. Screenshots of the app and direct links to the Apple and Google Play store are also posted on the ar.gov/SNAPfraud website, and beneficiaries should ensure they are downloading the authentic app. 
 
There are continuing reports of electronic scams that aim to steal beneficiaries’ funds around the country, and Arkansas saw an increase in these crimes after July benefits were loaded onto cards. To date, more than 700 individuals have reported through an online form that DHS launched earlier this month that their benefits were taken.
 
“DHS is not authorized to replace stolen benefits, so we are strongly encouraging everyone who receives SNAP to take just a couple minutes and change their PIN to a new combination that only they know,” said Mary Franklin, Director of the Division of County Operations. “This simple step is the best protection to ensure that if a card number has been compromised, the thief cannot remove the funds. We urge all beneficiaries to protect their accounts ahead of August benefits being loaded onto cards on Aug. 4, and to continue to change their PINs each month to stay a step ahead of would-be thieves.” 
 
Additional tips for protecting SNAP accounts include: 
 
• Set a PIN that is only known to them and not commonly used. Avoid using easy-to-guess PINs such as 1-2-3-4 or all the same digit, like 0-0-0-0 or 1-1-1-1. Beneficiaries should also avoid PINs that reference information that may be publicly available, like birth dates or street addresses.
 
• Keep the PIN a secret. Do not share the PIN with anyone outside the household. Cover the keypad when they enter the PIN on a machine.
 
• Check EBT accounts regularly for unauthorized charges. If there are any unauthorized charges, the SNAP recipient should change the PIN immediately to stop the thief from making any new purchases.
 
• 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.
 
• Never reveal the PIN to anyone. DHS will not reach out via email, social media message, or text to ask for a PIN.
 
• Avoid saving an EBT card as a payment method for online shopping.

SNAP provides food assistance to eligible households to cover a portion of a household’s food budget, and benefits are distributed through an EBT card. SNAP benefits can be used to buy eligible food items for eating at home. Additional information about the program is available at humanservices.arkansas.gov/u/snap