Arkansas EBT Cards Hit by Fraud. State Resets All PINs.
Arkansas SNAP recipients had their benefits targeted by scammers this summer. The theft wave was serious enough that the Arkansas Department of Human Services worked with its EBT vendor to force a PIN reset on all affected cards statewide.
“Earlier in the summer, we saw a large number of suspicious transactions, which caused us at that time to work with our current EBT vendor and [enact] a reset of all the PIN numbers for those cards.”
Mary Franklin, Director of County Operations, Arkansas DHS, July 23, 2026
Franklin said she did not know exactly how many cardholders were targeted. EBT theft, often through a technique called “skimming,” has surged nationally in recent years, draining benefits from people who have no federal right to reimbursement.
New ebtEDGE App Launches July 28 With Two Key Protections
Arkansas DHS is switching its EBT vendor from Conduent to Fidelity Information Services as part of a scheduled re-procurement process. The new vendor’s app, ebtEDGE New, launches on Monday, July 28, 2026, with two fraud-prevention features the old system lacked.
First, users can lock their EBT card when they are not actively shopping. Second, the app can block out-of-state purchases. Both features are opt-in controls that recipients manage directly from their phones. Arkansas SNAP recipients can download ebtEDGE New from the Apple App Store, Google Play, or by visiting ar.gov/snap.
A Second New App, and a New Junk Food Ban, Add Digital Complexity
This is the second SNAP-related app Arkansas has launched in five weeks. In June, DHS released AR SNAP Companion, which lets users scan grocery items to check whether they qualify under Arkansas’s new junk food purchase ban. That ban, which took effect July 1, prohibits spending SNAP funds on soda, candy, and juices with less than 50% natural juice content. Arkansas received federal permission for the restriction along with several other states.
The rapid expansion of app-based SNAP management carries a real cost for some recipients. Experts have raised concerns that digitization makes food aid harder to access for senior citizens and others who lack smartphones or reliable internet. Neither app is the only way to manage benefits, but the state has not announced a non-digital alternative to the new fraud tools.
What You Can Do Now
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If you receive SNAP in Arkansas, download ebtEDGE New from the Apple App Store, Google Play, or at ar.gov/snap starting Monday, July 28. Enable card-locking immediately to protect your balance between shopping trips.
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If your EBT card was already compromised, contact Arkansas DHS at (800) 482-8988 to report fraud and ask about account recovery options. Federal law does not currently require reimbursement for stolen EBT benefits, but some state programs offer partial relief.
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Contact your U.S. senators at (202) 224-3121 and ask them to support federal EBT theft reimbursement legislation. The SNAP Theft Act has been introduced in prior sessions but has not passed. Tell them theft victims deserve the same protections as bank card holders.
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If you work with seniors or low-income Arkansans, contact Arkansas Legal Aid at (800) 952-9243 to connect clients who cannot use app-based tools with in-person DHS offices that can assist with card management and fraud reporting.
Sources
- Alabama officials to ask federal government for two-year delay on SNAP error rate penalty — Alabama Reflector (2026-07-24)
- Food assistance available for areas Tropical Storm Arthur hit — Louisiana Illuminator (2026-07-24)
Arkansas Advocate: Arkansas Unveils New App to Protect Food Stamp Recipients From Scammers Center on Budget and Policy Priorities: EBT Theft Is Surging, Congress Should Act Arkansas Advocate: Arkansas Launches App to Navigate New Food Stamps Junk Food Ban USDA Food and Nutrition Service: EBT Skimming and Card Theft Information
a reset of all the PIN numbers for those cards.”, Mary Franklin, Arkansas DHS Division of County Operations Director. Arkansas Advocate, July 23, 2026]