If you receive SNAP in Ohio, your EBT card changed today. As of Wednesday, May 13, 2026, the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) has activated a new security feature on all Ohio Direction EBT cards: online purchases and purchases made outside the state are now blocked by default. If you try to pay with your EBT card on an online platform or at a store outside Ohio without unlocking it first, the transaction will be automatically declined.
In-person purchases at authorized stores within Ohio are completely unaffected and continue to work exactly as before. The change only impacts those who use their EBT card for online shopping — on platforms like Amazon Fresh, Walmart.com, or Instacart — or those who travel outside Ohio and need to use their benefits in another state.
Why Ohio is making this change today
The reason is skimming fraud, which has grown into an alarming problem across the state. The ODJFS fraud analytics team detected approximately 56,000 suspicious out-of-state transactions affecting nearly 13,000 Ohio EBT accounts, totaling more than $6.3 million stolen from program recipients.
Skimming involves installing cloning devices on payment terminals to copy EBT card data from the magnetic stripe. Once stolen, that data is used to make fraudulent purchases — typically in other states or online — draining a victim’s balance before they can react. The new default block cuts off that attack method entirely.
How to unlock your card when you need it
The ODJFS has made clear that recipients retain full control of their EBT card and can unlock it at any time to make an online or out-of-state purchase. There are three ways to do this:
The first is through ConnectEBT.com, the official EBT card management portal, where you can update your security settings in a matter of seconds. The second is via the ConnectEBT mobile app, available for both iOS and Android. The third is by calling the customer service number printed on the back of your Ohio Direction card, which is available 24 hours a day.
Once the card is unlocked, the system will ask you to choose how long you want it to remain active for that type of purchase: 30, 60, or 90 minutes. After that window closes, the card automatically relocks. If you prefer to manage it manually, you can also lock it yourself as soon as you finish your purchase.
A change already rolling out in other states
Ohio is not the first state to adopt this system. South Carolina launched the same feature on April 28, 2026, just two weeks earlier. Before that, states including Massachusetts had already implemented similar default-block measures in response to the surge in EBT card fraud — a trend that has escalated sharply across the country in recent years.
The ODJFS emphasized that the vast majority of Ohio SNAP recipients will notice no change in their day-to-day experience, since most people use their EBT card exclusively at physical grocery stores within the state. The real impact will be limited to those who regularly shop online with their EBT or frequently travel outside Ohio. For them, the unlocking process is quick and can be done from a phone in seconds before checkout.
If you use your Ohio EBT card for online purchases or out-of-state shopping, download the ConnectEBT app today or save your customer service number so you are not caught off guard the next time you try to pay.