Arkansas DHS Urges Families to Reset Summer EBT PINs Following Fraud Reports

The Arkansas Department of Human Services is urging families receiving Summer EBT benefits to reset their card PINs immediately after reports of benefit theft linked to fraudulent activity in multiple states.

State officials say all Summer EBT recipients must create a new PIN before their cards can be used again. Families can reset their PIN by calling the EBT customer service line at 1-800-997-9999 or through the online portal at ar.gov/summerebt.

According to DHS, scammers often gain access to accounts through card skimmers, fake websites, phishing emails and text message scams. Officials stress that DHS will never contact recipients to request a PIN number.

Investigators have identified suspicious Summer EBT activity in several states, including New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania. Federal authorities are assisting with the ongoing investigation.

Because Summer EBT benefits are federally funded, stolen funds cannot currently be replaced. Families who believe their benefits were stolen are encouraged to file a police report and report the incident through the state’s SNAP fraud resources.

Additional security measures, including chip-enabled cards and tools that allow users to lock accounts or block out-of-state transactions, are expected later this summer.