DES MOINES, Iowa — The Iowa Attorney General and Department of Health and Human Services are telling Iowans to beware of scam text messages concerning EBT cards, according to a news release from the AG's office.
The two agencies say that they've received reports of Iowans receiving text messages which claim that their EBT cards are locked. The messages included a phone number to call for assistance.
Both the AG and HHS say that government agencies will never ask for your personal information, EBT card number or PIN by text message.
If you received a text message regarding a locked EBT card, please file a report with the Federal Trade Commission.
The AG’s Consumer Protection Division provides these tips for Iowans regarding these text messages:
- Don't respond or click on links to any of these messages.
- Don’t respond to spam text messages, even to ask the sender to stop contacting you. Responding verifies that your phone number is active and that you are willing to open messages, which may lead to an increase in the unsolicited text messages you receive.
- Delete text messages that ask you to confirm or provide personal information.
- If you think the message might be real, contact the company using a phone number or website you know is real.
Check out the Federal Trade Commission's website for additional tips on spotting and reporting spam text messages.
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