Two important updates for participants in the Pandemic EBT and EBT benefits programs

PHISHING ATTACK: The Virginia Department of Social Services has informed us about a phishing attack aimed at cardholders in the P-EBT and EBT programs. Recipients are being told to call a phony 1-866 number ending in 0486 to activate their EBT account, and are then asked to enter their PIN. This number is a phishing scam. It is NOT a client customer service help desk.

If you receive a text or a call from 866-XXX-0486 or from “VA EBT,” simply delete the text or decline the call. Don’t dial or text the number. The Virginia Department of Social Services EBT Client Customer Service Help Desk will never call you and ask you to activate a card or ask for your PIN.

If you have called the scam 866 phishing number, please contact the actual Virginia EBT Client Customer Service Help Desk at 1-866-281-2448 to report your card as stolen and have a new card issued.

P-EBT CARD PROCESSING ERROR: We’ve been informed by the Virginia Department of Social Services that many households did not receive summer Pandemic EBT benefits because of a card processing error. If your household received a P-EBT card that isn’t working, a new card is already on the way and should arrive by Sept. 30. You do not need to take any action to report your invalid card. Please do not contact the P-EBT call center to order another card, as this may further delay the processing of your benefits. We know this delay has been frustrating, and we are in communication with VDSS to ensure that the issue is fixed as quickly as possible. Schools are not able to provide answers to your P-EBT questions. Please visit www.pebtva.com for the latest information and guidance about the Pandemic EBT program.