The Arkansas Department of Human Services (DHS) is urging families who receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to change their electronic benefit transfer (EBT) card PINs immediately, following a rise in scam activity targeting recipients’ accounts.
More than 700 beneficiaries have reported stolen benefits since July distributions were loaded onto EBT cards. DHS officials say they cannot replace stolen funds, making prevention critical ahead of the next scheduled distribution on Aug. 4.
“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.”
SNAP recipients can change their PIN by calling the EBT Customer Service line at 1-800-997-9999 or by visiting the Arkansas EBT portal online. A secure link to the portal is available at ar.gov/SNAPfraud. Once users create an account through the website, they may also download and use the ConnectEBT app by Conduent to manage their benefits. DHS urges recipients to verify that they are downloading the authentic app, with official links and screenshots posted on the same site.
DHS continues to receive reports of EBT-related scams nationwide, including in Arkansas. Officials advise recipients to set a secure PIN that is not easy to guess or based on publicly available information such as birth dates or street addresses. They recommend keeping the PIN confidential, checking accounts regularly for unauthorized charges, and inspecting card machines for signs of tampering or overlays. If an unauthorized charge is spotted, the user should immediately change their PIN to block further transactions.
Officials also caution that DHS will never contact beneficiaries by text, social media, or email to request PINs, and they recommend against saving EBT cards as payment methods for online purchases.
SNAP provides food assistance to qualifying households, allowing recipients to purchase eligible grocery items for home consumption. More information about the program is available at humanservices.arkansas.gov/u/snap.
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