DHS Issues New EBT Cards After Georgia Cyberattack

ATLANTA, GEORGIA – The Georgia Department of Human Services (DHS) confirmed it has begun issuing replacement Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards to residents potentially affected by a late July cyberattack.

Replacement Cards Sent to Impacted Clients

In a statement, DHS said:

“Clients potentially impacted by the recent cyberattack were issued a replacement EBT card. The replacement card deactivated the card currently held by the client. The client will need the replacement card to create an account, check their balance, and use benefits.”

This update comes after weeks of confusion and frustration for SNAP recipients who were unable to access their accounts following the attack.

Attack Disabled Call Center

The cyberattack, described as an automated bot attack, struck on July 28 and forced the shutdown of Georgia’s SNAP call center Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system.

That system remains offline, leaving thousands of families without their usual method of checking balances or managing benefits.

Federal Officials Monitoring

The U.S. Department of Agriculture confirmed that similar reports have emerged from at least six other states and said it is continuing to monitor the situation closely.

The full update and investigation details were first reported by 11Alive.

For continuing coverage on investigations, cybersecurity, and public benefits across the Southeast, follow SaludaStandard-Sentinel.com.