EBT Card Locked Out - How to Reset Password?

Ugh, that sucks! I've been there before. You'll need to call the EBT customer service line to get your account unlocked. Be prepared to wait on hold for a while tho 🙄

I found a way to get someone on the phone without waiting forever. I used this site's (claimyr.com) calling tool that dials the phone menu, stays on hold, waits for a live agent to pick up, then sends the call to my phone. It does cost $20, but it works. Here's a video explaining it: https://youtu.be/nZambXh8Woc

Have you tried resetting your password online? Sometimes theres an option to do that without calling.

This is why I always use a password manager now. No more typos or forgotten passwords! 💯

The whole system is so broken. Why can't they make it easier for people who actually need help? 🤬

Here's what you need to do to unlock your EBT account: 1. Call the EBT customer service number (usually on the back of your card) 2. Have your card number ready 3. Explain that you're locked out due to incorrect password attempts 4. They'll verify your identity with some security questions 5. Once verified, they can unlock your account and help you reset your password 6. Make sure to choose a password you can remember easily but is still secure 7. Consider writing it down somewhere safe if you're worried about forgetting Pro tip: If you're having trouble with the keypad, you can usually ask the agent to enter the new password for you while you're on the phone. Hope this helps! Let us know how it goes.

lol welcome to the club. EBT website is straight 🗑️

Have you tried going to your local DCFS office in person? Sometimes its faster to get help face-to-face.

Girl, I feel your pain! This happened to me last month and it was so frustrating. I called the customer service line and it took forever, but they were able to unlock my account pretty quickly once I got through. Make sure you have your Social Security number and card number ready when you call - they'll ask for both to verify your identity. Also, when you reset your password, maybe try using the stylus on your phone or a pen tip instead of your nails to avoid hitting the wrong keys again. Good luck! 🤞

Oh no, I've been in the exact same situation! The long nails struggle is real 😅 I ended up calling the customer service line and yes, the wait was brutal (like 90 minutes), but they were really helpful once I got through. They asked for my SSN, card number, and some personal info to verify my identity, then unlocked my account right away. For the future, I started using a pen or the eraser end of a pencil to punch in my PIN - saves so much frustration! You can also ask them to temporarily give you a simpler PIN over the phone if you're worried about getting locked out again. Hope you get it sorted out soon!

I had this same issue a few months ago! The customer service wait was terrible, but here's what worked for me: I called right at 8 AM when they opened and got through in about 30 minutes instead of hours. They unlocked my account super fast once I verified my info. Pro tip that saved my life - I now use a bobby pin or the tip of a pen to enter my PIN instead of my nails. Game changer! Also, if you have a smartphone, you can usually manage your EBT account through their mobile app which might be easier than the website. Hope you get this sorted out quickly! 🙏

I've been locked out before too and it's so stressful when you need access to your benefits! One thing that helped me was calling the automated system first to see if I could reset it without talking to a person - sometimes there's an option to unlock your account if you can answer your security questions correctly. If that doesn't work, definitely call customer service but try calling around 2-3 PM on weekdays - I found the wait times were shorter then compared to mornings when everyone is calling. Also, when you do get through, ask them if they can set up text or email alerts for your account so you'll know your balance without having to log in as often. Hang in there, you'll get it sorted! 💪

This happened to me too and it's so annoying! I called the EBT customer service line and it took about an hour on hold, but they unlocked my account pretty quickly once I got through. They'll ask for your SSN, card number, and some personal details to verify it's really you. One thing that really helped me - I started using a pencil eraser or a small stylus to enter my PIN instead of my nails. Way more accurate! Also, if you have trouble remembering passwords, you can ask them to set up a PIN that's easier for you to remember when they reset it. Hope you get back into your account soon! 🤞

Ugh, I totally feel you on the long nails problem! 😭 I've been there too and it's so frustrating. I called the EBT customer service line when this happened to me and while the wait was brutal (like an hour and a half), they were super helpful once I got through. They'll need your SSN, card number, and some personal info to verify your identity, then they can unlock it right away. Here's what saved my sanity - I started using a toothpick or the back end of a bobby pin to punch in my PIN instead of my nails! Game changer for real. Also, try calling right when they open at 8am or in the early afternoon around 2pm - those seem to be the best times to avoid the crazy long hold times. You got this! Let us know how it goes! 💪

Oh girl, I've been in your exact shoes! The long nails struggle is SO real - I can't tell you how many times I've accidentally hit two keys at once and locked myself out. 😅 When this happened to me, I had to call the EBT customer service line. Fair warning - the hold time was absolutely brutal (took me about 2 hours), but they were really helpful once I finally got through. They'll ask for your SSN, card number, and verify some personal info, then they can unlock your account pretty much instantly. Here's what I learned from my experience: call right at 8 AM when they first open - the wait times are way shorter then! And for the future, I started using a pen cap or even a cotton swab to enter my PIN instead of my nails. Total game changer! Also, once you get back in, consider setting up account alerts so you can check your balance without having to log in every time. Saves you from potential lockouts! You'll get through this! Keep us posted on how it goes! 💪💕

I had this exact same issue last year and it was such a nightmare! The nail struggle is definitely real - I kept hitting multiple numbers at once and got locked out three times in one week 🤦‍♀️ What finally worked for me was calling the customer service line right at 8 AM when they opened. I only waited about 25 minutes instead of the usual 2+ hours. They'll need your SSN, card number, and date of birth to verify your identity, then they can unlock it immediately. Here's my biggest tip though - get yourself a pack of those rubber-tip styluses (like $3 at the dollar store) or even use a pencil eraser to punch in your PIN. It's been a total lifesaver! No more accidentally hitting wrong keys. Also, when you call, ask them if you can set your PIN to something easier to enter but still secure. Some offices will let you choose your own as long as it's not too obvious. Hope you get it sorted quickly! The system is frustrating but the customer service folks are usually pretty understanding about lockout issues. Let us know how it goes! 💛

I feel you so much on this! The exact same thing happened to me a couple months ago - I was so frustrated I almost cried at the grocery store when my card wouldn't work 😭 I ended up calling the EBT customer service line and yeah, the wait was absolutely terrible (almost 3 hours for me!), but once I got through they fixed it super fast. They just needed my SSN, card number, and asked me a few security questions to verify it was really me. The best advice I can give you is what others have mentioned - call RIGHT at 8 AM when they open! I made the mistake of calling in the afternoon the first time and it was a nightmare. Also, I learned my lesson about the nails thing too! Now I keep a small pen or even a paperclip at my purse specifically for entering my PIN. No more accidentally hitting three buttons at once 🤦‍♀️ One thing that really helped me was asking them to walk me through setting up text alerts for my balance so I don't have to log in as much and risk getting locked out again. You'll get through this! The whole system is frustrating but you're not alone in dealing with it. Keep us updated on how the call goes!

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this! The long nails problem is definitely something a lot of us can relate to 😅 I've been locked out of my EBT account before and it's incredibly stressful, especially when you need to buy groceries. From my experience, here's what worked: I called the EBT customer service number first thing in the morning (around 8 AM) and the wait was much shorter than calling later in the day - only about 30 minutes instead of hours. They'll ask for your SSN, card number, and some personal verification questions, then they can unlock your account right away. For the future, I highly recommend getting a small stylus or even using a pen cap to enter your PIN instead of your nails. I keep one attached to my keychain now and it's been a game changer! No more accidentally hitting multiple keys. Also, when you call, ask if they can help you set up text alerts for your balance - that way you won't have to log in as often and risk getting locked out again. The whole system can be really frustrating, but don't give up! The customer service folks are usually pretty understanding about lockout issues. Let us know how it goes when you call! 🤞

I've been in this exact situation and it's so frustrating! The long nails struggle is real - I feel like I'm constantly hitting the wrong keys 😅 When this happened to me, I called the EBT customer service line and while the wait was definitely long (about an hour and a half), they were able to unlock my account pretty quickly once I got through. Make sure you have your Social Security number, card number, and any other personal info ready because they'll need to verify your identity. One trick that has saved me so much hassle - I started using the eraser end of a pencil to punch in my PIN instead of my nails! It's way more accurate and I haven't gotten locked out since. Also, try calling right when they open in the morning - the wait times are usually much shorter then. Good luck and let us know how it goes! 🙏

Oh girl, I totally understand this frustration! 😤 I actually went through the EXACT same thing about 6 months ago - those long nails are a blessing and a curse, right? I kept fat-fingering the keypad and locked myself out twice in one week! Here's what saved me: I called the customer service line at exactly 8:00 AM when they opened and only waited about 20 minutes instead of the usual 2+ hour nightmare. Have your SSN, card number, and date of birth ready because they'll need all of that to verify your identity. Once they confirm it's you, they can unlock your account instantly. But here's my GAME CHANGER tip that I wish someone had told me sooner - I bought a pack of those rubber-tip phone styluses from the dollar store (literally $2) and now I keep one in my purse at all times. No more accidentally hitting three keys at once! You could also use a pen cap or even the tip of a house key in a pinch. Also, when you call tomorrow, ask them about setting up text alerts for your balance - that way you won't have to log in as often and risk another lockout. The whole system is honestly trash, but at least the customer service folks are usually pretty understanding about this specific issue since it happens ALL the time. You got this, mama! Let us know how the call goes! 💪✨

I've been through this exact same situation and it's so stressful! The nail struggle is absolutely real 😭 I called the EBT customer service line when I got locked out and yes, the wait time was brutal (about 2 hours for me), but they were super helpful once I finally got through. They'll need your SSN, card number, and some personal info to verify your identity, then they can unlock your account right away. My biggest tip is to call RIGHT at 8 AM when they open - I learned this the hard way after sitting on hold forever the first time I called in the afternoon. For the future, I started using a small makeup brush handle to enter my PIN instead of my nails - it's thin enough to be precise but sturdy enough not to bend. You could also try a bobby pin or toothpick! I keep one in my wallet now specifically for this purpose. Also, once you get back in, definitely ask them about setting up balance alerts via text so you don't have to log in as often. The whole system is honestly outdated and frustrating, but you're definitely not alone in dealing with this! Good luck tomorrow morning! 🤞