Pennsylvania warns EBT transactions may be affected Friday during system maintenance
THE EIGHT ON YOUR SIDE TEAM HAS BEEN FOLLOWING DEVELOPMENTS RELATED TO THE THEFT OF MONEY FROM ELECTRONIC BENEFIT TRANSFER CARDS, OR EBT CARDS, AS THEY’RE KNOWN. AND TONIGHT WE HAVE AN UPDATE FOR YOU. YOU’LL REMEMBER EARLIER THIS YEAR WE TOLD YOU HOW EBT CARDS WERE SOMEHOW BEING INTERCEPTED, AND THE BENEFITS ON THOSE CARDS WERE BEING DRAINED. EBT CARDS, BY THE WAY, ARE USED BY THE STATE TO ISSUE BENEFITS LIKE FOOD STAMPS TO THOSE WHO QUALIFY. AND THE SAD PART WAS VICTIMS OF EBT CARD THEFT COULD NOT GET THEIR MONEY REIMBURSED. IN SOME CASES, NEARLY $1,000. WELL, NOW, THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES IS OFFERING A NEW EBT CARD LOCK FEATURE TO PROTECT THOSE BENEFITS. PENNSYLVANIA PROTECT YOUR BENEFITS. THE EBT LOCK UNLOCK FEATURE IS NOW AVAILABLE IN PA BY USING THE CONNECT MOBILE APP. IT ALLOWS CUSTOMERS TO LOCK THEIR EBT CARD WHEN IT’S NOT BEING USED TO PROTECT IT FROM SKIMMING AND THEFT. THE APP IS FREE AND THERE IS A LOCK UNLOCK CARD BUTTON TO SELECT YOUR CARD LOCK PREFERENCE FOR INSIDE OR OUTSIDE OF PENNSYLVANIA. AND WHILE THE NEW FEATURE HAS NOT BEEN FORMALLY ANNOUNCED JUST YET, NEWS EIGHT VIEWERS REPORT THAT THEY ARE RECEIVING TEXT MESSAGES LIKE THIS, ENCOURAGING EBT CARDHOLDERS TO LOCK THEIR BENEFITS. EBT CARDS ARE VERY SIMILAR TO CREDIT CARDS. IF IT HAS A MAGNETIC STRIPE ON THE BACK, A SKIMMER CAN CAPTURE THE INFORMATION FROM THAT CARD AGAIN. CARDHOLDERS WHO LOST THEIR MONEY AFTER LAST DECEMBER COULD NOT GET REIMBURSED IF THEIR MONEY WAS TAKEN. BUT LAST WEEK, PENNSYLVANIA SENATOR JOHN FETTERM
Pennsylvania warns EBT transactions may be affected Friday during system maintenance
Updated: 1:51 PM EDT Jun 12, 2026
Some EBT transactions and services could be affected on Friday because of system maintenance, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services Video above: Pennsylvania introduces EBT card lock feature to combat theftThe department posted the following message on Facebook Friday afternoon:”Please note: EBT transactions and services will be under maintenance today, June 12, 2026, from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM. Availability of transactions and services may be affected during this timeframe.”
HARRISBURG, Pa. —
Some EBT transactions and services could be affected on Friday because of system maintenance, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services
Video above: Pennsylvania introduces EBT card lock feature to combat theft
The department posted the following message on Facebook Friday afternoon:
“Please note: EBT transactions and services will be under maintenance today, June 12, 2026, from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM. Availability of transactions and services may be affected during this timeframe.”