Protect Your Benefits From Scams

Learn about scams and how to protect your Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) benefits.

Table of Contents

Types of Scams and How to Protect Your Benefits

 

Your DTA benefits can be stolen through scams like skimming and phishing.

  • Skimming is a type of theft where thieves put a device on a store’s card-swiping machine to copy card information.
  • Phishing is where thieves use texts or phone calls to get you to share confidential information about your identity or card information.

The information is then used to make fake EBT cards. These are then used to steal money or SNAP from real accounts.

Skimming can happen anywhere you swipe your EBT card. Most of the time, that means EBT or Credit Card machines and ATMs.

To protect your benefits:

  • Change your EBT card PIN before each time you get your DTA benefits
  • If you get TAFDC or EAEDC, you can call your case manager to ask about having your benefits deposited to your bank account
  • Never provide your personal information, EBT card number, or Personal Identification Number (PIN) to unidentified callers, or to a link provided via text or email

If you think your card and benefits have been stolen, tell DTA right away and change your PIN. Learn how to report fraud

7 Steps to Change Your EBT Card PIN

 

Español | Português, Brasil | Tiếng Việt | Kreyòl ayisyen | 简体中文 |  繁體中文  | العربية | Français | Русский | Kriolu

 

How to change a PIN:

  1. Call 800-997-2555 (the number on the back of your card)
  2. Choose your language
  3. Enter the number on the front of your card
  4. Press 2 to PIN your EBT card
  5. When asked for last 4 of Social Security Number (SSN), enter them. If you do not have an SSN, enter the last 4 digits of your 99 number assigned to you by DTA. If you do not know this 99 number, call the DTA  Assistance Line at 877-382-2363
  6. Enter your Date of Birth (month/day/year – 2 digits for month, 2 digits for day, and 4 digits for year). For example, 12 01 1989 for December 1, 1989
  7. Enter your NEW 4-digit PIN; then enter it again. Choose a different PIN from any previous PINs

Remember to keep your PIN confidential.

Images of how to change your EBT card PIN. 1. Image of a phone with 800-997-2555 on the screen. 2. Different languages. 3. DTA card with numbers on the bottom circled. 4. Phone with #2 pressed. 5. SSN card with last 4 digits circled. 6. Calendar. 7. Phone with 4 digits entered.

Know the Signs of Fraud

EBT/Credit Card Machine

Look for an overlay. It is bigger than the original machine. The overlay may hide parts of the machine.

 

ATM Machine

An overlay device can also be attached to the card reader/keypad on ATMs. 

Image showing a device over the card reader.

 

Image of someone lifting up the device overlaying the keypad.

Outreach Materials

Materials (flyers, social graphics) are available in 11 languages to help share information on how to protect DTA benefits and change an EBT card PIN.

Additional Resources

What to do if your benefits are stolen / How to report fraud

If you think that your benefits have been stolen, you should report this to DTA.

You might be able to get the stolen benefits replaced.

Help Us Improve Mass.gov  with your feedback

Please do not include personal or contact information.
Feedback