Maryland Warns EBT Users About New Robocall Scam
Maryland officials are warning EBT recipients about a new robocall scam designed to steal personal information and potentially gain access to their benefits.
The Maryland Department of Human Services confirmed scammers are spoofing the state’s legitimate EBT customer service number, meaning the real number can appear on a recipient’s caller ID. The automated message falsely tells recipients they have been selected for new benefits and asks them to press a number to determine eligibility. From there, victims may be prompted to provide EBT card information or their PIN.
DHS says it is not making automated robocalls asking customers for card numbers, PINs or other sensitive information. The agency is communicating about its current EBT transition through letters, emails, and text messages instead. Officials advise anyone receiving a suspicious call to hang up and independently contact the official EBT customer service line rather than following prompts from an incoming call.
The scams come as Maryland replaces its older magnetic-stripe EBT cards with new chip-and-tap cards designed to combat fraud. More than $51 million in benefits have been reported stolen in Maryland since 2023, according to WMAR-2 News.
Recipients should activate their new cards as soon as they arrive and have until September 30 to complete the process. After that deadline, the old magnetic-stripe cards will be deactivated.
DHS also recommends using the official ebtEDGE app to monitor transactions, change PINs and lock cards when necessary. Anyone who believes they gave information to a scammer should immediately change their PIN and contact Maryland EBT to secure or replace the card.
