Paulding County

Calling for help with your food stamps? You could reach a solicitor instead

By Jim Strickland, WSB-TV
By Jim Strickland, WSB-TV

PAULDING COUNTY, Ga. — The toll-free number on thousands of Georgia food stamp cards now connects to a room full of telephone solicitors.

Channel 2 Consumer Investigator Jim Strickland received a tip from an EBT client at the DFACS office in Paulding County. He has now confirmed that this is a concern statewide.

Strickland discovered that the bogus number isn’t just printed on the back of EBT cards. It’s also in the state food stamps handbook, in an FAQ on the program and on Google.

Strickland called the number and heard the sounds of a boiler room full of operators in the background.

“The $100 rebate voucher is yours for just $1.95 so make sure you have your credit card handy,” a solicitor told Strickland when he called.

Carol Spain said she was surprised when she called the toll free number on her husband’s EBT card and was connected with a solicitor who had something to sell.

“The first thing that I thought was, 'How many people have fallen for this?' You know? It’s a state agency number,” she said.

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The EBT card with the wrong number is old and faded compared to a new one. The state says it changed its customer service numbers in 2011.

“Despite concerted efforts to inform customers of the updated numbers, we recognize many of our 765,000 households may still use an older EBT card that includes the older number,” DFCS said in a statement.

The agency can't say why the old number now has a new life peddling gift vouchers.

“Absolutely the lowest of the low, preying on people who just don't have the money,” Spain said.

Online consumer sites received a smattering of similar complaints from people who'd misdialed their insurance company or a utility. “I accidentally reached this company," said one poster who got the gift card offer.

Spain said her 77-year-old mother-in-law also has an EBT card.

“They get you. Some of them they get, some they don't, but they didn't get me,” Spain said.

Georgia DFCS is warning EBT clients calling in not to give any information to anyone on the phone who doesn't identify themselves as working for DFCS or Human Services.

The department is checking to see if anyone has complained about being taken in by the solicitors.

Cox Media Group

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