The Los Angeles Post

Stopping Benefit Theft: L.A. County Department of Public Social Services Launches EBT Safety & Security Month

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DPSS equips local businesses and customers with proactive tools to stop benefit skimming and safeguard family resources.

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Social Services (DPSS) has launched its Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) Safety and Security Month community campaign to educate customers, businesses, and local organizations on safeguarding EBT transactions against skimming and scamming fraud.

The campaign addresses electronic benefits theft by connecting businesses with merchant resources and customers with actionable security protocols and digital protection tools. When EBT benefits are stolen, families lose the resources they depend on for food and basic needs. Retailers also lose sales and customer trust, especially when a customer’s card information is compromised through a tampered point-of-sale (POS) device.

To strengthen community defenses against benefit fraud, the campaign highlights a dual-layer security strategy that combines retail POS protection with cardholder account controls. In Los Angeles County alone, EBT card skimming accounted for over $42.7 million in stolen card benefits in 2025. Since the launch of state security features through the ebtEDGE mobile application, California cardholders have utilized controls such as card freezing over 9.5 million times.

Key recommendations for customers and businesses include:

  • Keep your benefits safe by using tap‑to‑pay first, followed by the chip. Swiping the magnetic stripe should be a last resort and used only when absolutely necessary.

  • Businesses are advised to check payment equipment regularly for physical tampering or skimming overlays, ensure checkout areas are monitored, and contact the California EBT Retailer Hotline at (866) 328-4212 for POS technical support.

  • Customers are encouraged to download the free, official ebtEDGE mobile app by FIS, LLC from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store to lock or freeze their cards between purchases, change PINs regularly, and block out-of-state or online transactions.

  • For questions and to report fraudulent activity, contact the EBT Customer Service Center at (877) 328-9677.

“Protecting these critical public benefits takes a community-wide effort. EBT Safety and Security Month connects everyone: local business owners checking their equipment, customers securing their benefits through the ebtEDGE app, and community partners sharing vital information. By equipping everyone with strategies and tools, we can prevent benefit theft and protect the resources our neighbors count on,” said Dr. Jackie Contreras, Director of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Social Services.

DPSS encourages media outlets, business associations, chambers of commerce, and L.A. County local organizations to share the official EBT Safety and Security Month information to ensure that our most vulnerable communities are supported, and empowered. Official outreach materials are available at EBT Safety & Security Month.

To stay informed on the month-long campaign, subscribe to Essential DPSS, visit the DPSS website, or follow the department on all social media channels – Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter) accounts.