EBT cards

County EBT theft drops more than 80% after chip card issued

East County News Service
 
Jan. 23, 2026 (San Diego County) -- More attention to security needs and new chips are making a difference in the safety of electronic benefits cards, also known as EBT cards.
 
San Diego County officials report that enhanced security measures and new chips have led to an 84 percent reduction in EBT card thefts affecting the county’s CalFresh, CalWORKs and General Relief recipients. 
 
Nearly a year ago, the California Department of Social Services issued new EBT cards with chips similar to those in many credit cards. The card expiration date, card security code and all personal information also were moved to the back side of the card. Prior to the shift to improve security, California EBT cardholder information was traditionally printed on the front of the card.

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PROTECT YOUR EBT CARDS

By Cassie Klapp, County of San Diego Communications Office

January 12, 2023 (San Diego) - As Electronic Benefit Transfer, or EBT, thefts continue to happen both locally and throughout the state, people are encouraged to take easy steps to protect their benefits. EBT cards provide monthly funds from the USDA Food and Nutrition Service for people to buy food.


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COUNTY WARNS OF POTENTIAL EBT CARD SCAM

 

By Tom Christensen, County of San Diego Communications Office

November 15, 2017 (San Diego's East County) - The County’s Health and Human Services Agency is warning anyone who uses an electronic benefit transfer (EBT) card to access benefits to be aware of a text messaging scam.


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Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.