Maryland will begin mailing new chip-enabled, contactless “tap-and-go” EBT cards to all 943,000 recipients of the state’s cash and food benefits, Gov. Wes Moore’s office announced Friday. The cards will be sent automatically over the next three weeks, and existing swipe-only cards will stop working on Sept. 30.
The move is aimed at protecting low-income residents from increasingly common fraud schemes that use small devices called “skimmers” to copy payment information from magnetic stripe cards. The state’s Board of Public Works awarded the production contract last October to Fidelity National Information Services, and the Maryland Department of Human Services tested the new cards in coordination with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
What changes for recipients
Recipients do not need to request the new card; it will arrive automatically. The state is urging people to activate the chip card immediately and create a new personal identification number.
- Who gets the card: All Maryland residents enrolled in state cash and SNAP programs (943,000 people).
- When they arrive: Mailed automatically over the next three weeks.
- Old cards: Swipe-only cards will be disabled on Sept. 30.
The USDA requires that businesses accepting SNAP use payment systems compatible with EBT cards. Maryland officials said testing showed that 92% of transactions with the chip-enabled cards were successful during trials conducted with the USDA.
“We are losing state resources and people are losing their funds every day,”
The comment came from state Comptroller Brooke Lierman, who voiced concerns about skimming at the October hearing when the contract was awarded. Law enforcement agencies have documented local incidents: the U.S. Secret Service said it removed 22 skimming devices from card readers in Baltimore, Anne Arundel, Howard and Cecil counties during a sweep tied to the investigation. The agency estimated that those removals likely saved consumers from a potential loss of roughly $22.9 million, and noted that skimming costs U.S. financial institutions and consumers more than $1 billion annually.
Security and compatibility
Officials said the chip technology will make cards harder to duplicate and should reduce successful skimming attacks. Still, testing did not show universal compatibility: about one in 12 transactions during the trial did not go through, underscoring the importance of retailers maintaining up-to-date terminals.
| Item | Figure |
|---|---|
| Recipients to receive new cards | 943,000 |
| Mailing window | Next three weeks |
| Swipe cards deactivated | Sept. 30 |
| Skimming devices seized (regional sweep) | 22 |
| Estimated loss prevented | $22.9 million |
| Trial transaction success rate | 92% |
Practical steps for recipients
State officials recommend that recipients:
- Watch for the new card in the mail and follow activation instructions.
- Create a new PIN immediately after activating the card.
- Report suspicious card readers or missing funds to local law enforcement and the Maryland Department of Human Services.
Maryland joins a group of six states that have announced plans to move to chip-enabled EBT cards by the end of the year, with additional states expected to follow in 2027, state officials said.
State agencies leading the rollout include the Governor’s office, the Maryland Department of Human Services and the Board of Public Works. Federal partners involved in testing included the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Secret Service.
Residents with questions about the new cards should contact the Maryland Department of Human Services or watch for official communications from the state about activation and PIN setup.
