Frequently Asked Questions for EBT Cardholders

• How will I get my first EBT card and PIN?

  If you have never had a Missouri EBT card, one will be mailed to you when your application for food stamps or Temporary Assistance is approved.  You will also receive a Personal Identification Number (PIN) in a separate mailing.  If you have not received both within 5 days of receiving your notice of eligibility, contact your eligibility specialist.

  If you have received your EBT card and want to shop immediately, you can call 1-800-997-7777 to select PIN.

• What if I have a card, but haven’t used it for a while?

  If you have a Missouri EBT card but have not used it for a year, call your eligibility specialist.  A new card will be sent.  Your PIN will be the same unless you call 1-800-997-7777 to change it.

  If you have used your EBT card within the last 12 months, your current card and PIN will work.

• How do I change my PIN?

  You have the choice of having a new PIN mailed to you or selecting a PIN through the Customer Service number at 1-800-997-7777.  You must use a touch-tone phone if you want to change your PIN over the phone.

• Who can use the EBT card and PIN?

  Anyone who is a member of your household may use your EBT card.

  If you have named an authorized representative or a protective payee, this individual will receive a card and PIN.  The individual you select as your authorized representative or your protective payee will have FULL ACCESS to your benefits, just as you do.  If you no longer wish to have an authorized representative or would like to choose someone else, contact your eligibility specialist at the Family Support Division office.

• Does it cost to use my card?

  There are NO charges for:

  •  Food stamp purchases;
  •  Balance inquiries;
  •  Purchases with cash benefits (food or nonfood);
  •  Paying bills with cash benefits; and
  •  Cash back when making purchases with cash.

  You will have to pay:

  •  At an ATM (Automated Teller Machine), there is no fee for first withdrawal, but there is an $.85 charge for each additional cash withdrawal.
  • At a POS (point-of-sale machine at the register), there are no charges for food purchases, but there is an $.85 charge for each cash withdrawal.

  There may be additional surcharges by the retailer.

• Where can I use my card?

  You can use your card in any store that displays the QUEST Mark ®, or ATM that displays the QUEST Mark ®, STAR ®, or SHAZAM ® logos.

  

  QUEST is a registered service mark of NACHA – The Electronic Payments Association in coordination with the National EBS Council.  All rights reserved

  Use of the trademark name SHAZAM or the SHAZAM logo in any advertising, promotional material, or otherwise is granted only to financial institutions with a SHAZAM processing agreement or agencies operating on their behalf.  Use of any other party is prohibited without the prior written consent of the SHAZAM network.

  The STAR trademark, service mark and trade name referenced in this material are the property of STAR Networks, Inc.

• What if the store does not have a POS, or the POS is not working?
  • If a store does not have a POS terminal or the terminal is not working, the cashier may fill out a form for the amount of food you buy with your food stamp benefits.
  • Check the amount on the form.  It should be the same amount as the food you bought.
  • If the amount is right, sign your name and the date on the form.
  • The cashier will call Customer Service to make sure you have enough benefits to buy the food.
  • If you do, the amount will be subtracted from your food stamp  benefits.
  • Make sure you get a copy of the form from the cashier before you  leave the store.
  • Paper vouchers will also be used by food stamp merchants (like farmer’s markets) that do not have POS equipment.

  Do not tell the clerk your PIN!

• What happens if I enter the wrong PIN?

  When using your card for a food stamp or cash benefit transaction, you have 4 tries each day to enter your correct PIN.  After 4 incorrect tries, your card will be “locked.”

  You will be unable to make any more tries until after midnight.  If you cannot remember your PIN, wait until after midnight and try again, or select a new PIN by calling 1-800-997-7777.

• Do I have to have my card to get food or cash?

  You cannot make a purchase at a store or receive cash from an ATM machine if you do not have the card with you.

• When do I call Customer Service?

  Call Customer Service at 1-800-997-7777 when:

  • You lose your card or your card is stolen.
  • Your card is damaged and no longer works.
  • You want to request a new PIN.
  • You were charged more than once for the same transaction.
  • You were charged by a merchant but did not receive the groceries.
  • There are transactions on your account that you did not do.
• When do I contact my eligibility specialist?

  You should contact your eligibility specialist if:

  • You have questions on the amount of benefits you receive.
  • Your address has changed.
  • You want to know when your first benefits are going to be on your card.
  • Your eligibility specialist told you that your benefits would be on your card on a specific day, but you did not get the benefits.

Customer Service Number: 1-800-997-7777