Orange County, Calif. (February 21, 2025) — New Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards featuring security upgrades will soon be on the way to residents, better protecting them from fraud while enabling them to buy nutritious, healthy food with greater confidence.
The new Golden State Advantage cards are being rolled out by the County of Orange Social Services Agency (SSA) in partnership with the California Department of Social Services. The cards include embedded microchips containing encrypted data, making it significantly more difficult to steal information through skimming devices, and allow users to make contactless payments at participating retailers.
Cardholders can either tap their card against a retailer’s card reader or insert the chip and enter their PIN for secure transactions. The new cards can be used by residents receiving CalFresh, CalWORKs, and other food and cash aid benefits at most grocery stores and online grocery merchants, including Walmart and Target.
Distribution of the new cards begins Monday, February 24, 2025, with eligible individuals and families receiving their updated EBT cards in the mail at their home address through the coming months. Not all recipients will receive their cards at the same time. Cards will be activated upon first use, and all existing benefits will automatically transfer to the new cards. A client’s old card will be deactivated 180 days after their new card has been issued. PINs will remain unchanged.
While most retailers accept the updated security features, some may still require the use of a magnetic stripe. Cardholders should first attempt to use the chip or tap features and then follow the card reader’s on-screen prompts if necessary.
For questions, card usage issues or to report lost or stolen cards, cardholders are encouraged to contact the EBT Customer Service Helpline at (877) 328-9677. Benefits can be managed at ebtedge.com.
