Maryland chip-enabled EBT cards are being mailed to benefit recipients this month after years of widespread card skimming. State officials expect the security upgrade to protect SNAP and cash assistance accounts from cloning, reports the Baltimore Chronicle.
More than $51.7 million in stolen Maryland benefits has been replaced since officials began tracking theft in March 2023. Criminals often copied magnetic-stripe data and emptied accounts shortly after monthly benefits arrived.
How Maryland chip-enabled EBT cards improve security
The new Independence Cards support EMV chips and contactless tap payments. These technologies create stronger transaction protections and make card information considerably harder to copy.
Acting benefits access director JD Douglass-Robinson said recipients are finally receiving security already standard across the banking industry. The transition required new technology, vendor coordination and payment-terminal upgrades at participating retailers.
Maryland follows California, Alabama and Oklahoma in adopting chip-enabled benefit cards. Officials said early results elsewhere showed sharp declines in suspicious out-of-state transactions.
When new EBT cards will arrive
DHS plans to mail replacement cards to existing cardholders during July. Benefits and current balances will automatically transfer to the replacement card.
Recipients should complete several steps after delivery:
- Activate the new card immediately.
- Choose a new PIN.
- Create a new ebtEDGE account.
- Enable transaction alerts.
- Freeze the card when it is not being used.
The official application is named ebtEDGE and uses an egg-shaped icon. DHS warns users not to download similarly named applications.
Once the chip card is activated or used, the old magnetic-stripe card will deactivate. Cardholders experiencing technical problems can contact EBT Vendor Services at 1-800-997-2222.
Key dates and contact details
| Event | Date or contact |
|---|---|
| Replacement cards mailed | July 13–31 |
| Contact DHS if no card arrives | After August 7 |
| Old cards stop working | September 30 |
| DHS Call Center | 1-800-332-6347 |
| EBT Vendor Services | 1-800-997-2222 |
Recipients should use the chip or tap function whenever available. Swiping the magnetic stripe should remain a last resort because compromised terminals can still capture card data.
DHS says it will never request a card number or PIN by telephone, text message or email. Eligible victims of benefit theft may continue seeking reimbursement under Maryland law.
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