The California Department of Social Services recently warned all county welfare departments that a bogus mobile application for EBT holders — which mimics a legitimate, free state-supported app — is currently being sold on the Apple Store.
The app, named “Ebt edge – food stamps,” imitates the official FIS ebtEDGE Mobile App, Sacramento County officials said in a news release.
Many Californians use the electronic benefit transfer system for “the delivery, redemption and reconciliation of public assistance benefits,” including CalFresh and SNAP, according to the California EBT Project Office.
Officials said the “fraudulent” app tries to charge users for access.
Here’s what to know:
What is California’s EBT app? How does it work?
The real ebtEDGE app, launched in November 2023, was created to protect against benefit theft, the state Department of Social Services said at the time.
The mobile application lets EBT cardholders view their benefit schedule, order card replacements, connect multiple accounts, freeze cards and block out-of-state and internet transactions.
App users can also set up touch identification and facial recognition technology for increased login security, according to California Department of Social Service’s website.
How can I tell if I downloaded fake EBT app?
According to the release, the phony application charges users a weekly fee of $4.99 or a $60 fee for lifetime access.
“California EBT cardholders should know that the state will never charge fees to access or manage their benefits,” Sacramento County officials said.
Officials urged Californians to protect their benefits and personal information by only downloading and using the legitimate ebtEDGE app.
As of Friday, Sept. 19, the fake mobile app was no longer available on the Apple Store.
What’s the correct app to access state benefits?
The official app, FIS ebtEDGE, is available for download in the Apple Storeand Google Play.
You can identify the real mobile application by looking for the app with a black background and a sunny-side up egg as its logo.
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