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Maryland Department of Human Services Effectively Transitions to Fraud-Resistant “Chip-and-Tap” EBT Cards

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 1, 2026

Media Contact:
Lilly Price, Press Secretary
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 443-965-1265

Maryland Department of Human Services Effectively Transitions to Fraud-Resistant “Chip-and-Tap” EBT Cards

BALTIMORE, MD — The Maryland Department of Human Services (DHS) announced today that, as the state neared completion of its transition to fraud-resistant “chip-and-tap” Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards, fraud claims were dropping dramatically. DHS expects to share validated data on the reduction in fraud later this month.

Maryland is the fourth state in the nation to transition to chip-enabled EBT cards that provide an additional security layer, preventing unauthorized parties from compromising customer data. In the three months since cards began to arrive in customers’ mailboxes, DHS estimates that about 85% of the nearly 507,000 cards sent to customers were activated. New, more secure EBT cards have been used in over 4.8 million transactions since July.

DHS will continue to engage with customers who have yet to use their cards over the coming month.

“Maryland is delivering on its promise to make it harder than ever for criminals to steal the benefits our families rely on to put food on the table,” said Acting Maryland Department of Human Services Secretary Stacy L. Rodgers. “Just as significantly, as costs climb, we’re making Marylanders’ vital benefits easier to use and delivering on Governor Moore’s commitment to leave no Marylander behind.”

The successful rollout of chip-and-tap EBT cards was achieved through proactive outreach to customers and collaboration with retailers and financial institutions. The department’s email and text outreach resulted in over four million customer touchpoints in the course of the transition. Gov. Wes Moore also headlined a Meta campaign promoting the new cards that was viewed more than 2.5 million times by Marylanders.

What EBT Cardholders Need to Know

  1. If you have yet to activate your card, do so immediately. Magnetic-stripe-only cards will deactivate soon. Please activate your card today to avoid possible disruption to your benefits.
    • Follow the activation instructions included with your card, or call 1-800-997-2222.
    • Activation is not complete until you establish a new PIN.
    • Once you activate AND select a new PIN for your new card, your old card will stop working automatically.
    • Your benefit amount, current balance, and deposit schedule will NOT change.
  2. If you did not receive a new card, please immediately:
    • Order a new card – Call EBT Vendor Services at 1-800-997-2222 and following the automated prompts to report a card as “lost, missing, or stolen;” or
    • Go to your local department of social services for assistance.

Note: If you have recently moved or changed your address, please update your address. You can do this online at marylandbenefits.gov, by calling the DHS Call Center at 1-800-332-6347, or by visiting your local department of social services.

About the Maryland Department of Human Services:

The Maryland Department of Human Services (DHS) is the state’s primary social services provider, serving more than one million Marylanders annually. Through its programs — including food assistance, cash support, child welfare, and energy assistance — DHS works to strengthen Maryland’s families and communities.

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