Voice Mail Messages and Automated Response Unit (ARU)

Voice Mail Messages

Whenever a client reports a lost or stolen EBT card, the information MUST be acted on IMMEDIATELY. If the information is not acted on and the card statused (deactivated) immediately, the county is liable to repay all benefits accessed from the client’s account from the time the client called to report the loss until the time the card is actually statused (deactivated). This includes a time when the client calls during non-business hours (i.e., after 5 pm, prior to 7 am, or on weekends and holidays).

To avoid the County’s liability, it is necessary for the SSA to establish policy regarding voice mail messages. ALL Employment Services and Benefits employees from ALL classifications must change their voice mail messages to include the following statement in English, as well as any other language in which they are certified:

“If you are calling to report a lost or stolen EBT card, or are calling for an account balance, please hang up and dial the California EBT Customer Service Hot Line at 1-877-328-9677.”

Reminder: Supervisors must follow-up to ensure their employees’ voice mail contains this information.

Automated Response Unit

THE ARU IS NOT AVAILABLE TO CLIENTS UNTIL THEIR BENEFITS ARE POSTED INTO THEIR ACCOUNT.

There are FIS CSRs available 24 hours a day, seven (7) days a week; however, most of the client’s requests can be completed via the ARU. The ARU is an automated phone system that accepts data from touch-tone telephones and responds with synthesized voice commands and information. The phone number is located on the back of the client’s EBT card (1-877-328-9677). The ARU is available in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Russian, Mandarin, Cantonese, Cambodian, Hmong, Laotian, Farsi, and Armenian. Card replacement CANNOT be completed through the ARU. If a client wishes to have a card replaced, he/she must speak to a CSR.

The client is asked to provide at least two (2) of the following pieces of identifying information for the PCH:

  • SSN,
  • Birth date
  • Address

If the AR wants to replace a card, the PCH must have it replaced.

EBT System Outage Alert

The EBT system is required to have the capacity to inform recipients when the system does not function or is expected not to function for more than a one-hour period between 6 am and midnight during any 24-hour period. EBT recipients calling the EBT Customer Service Call Center at (877) 328-9677 will be informed by a recorded message in English and 10 additional languages (Armenian, Cambodian, Cantonese, Farsi, Hmong, Lao, Mandarin, Russian, Spanish, and Vietnamese), when the EBT system does not function or is expected not to function between 6 a.m. and midnight during any 24-hour period. The outage alert message is as follows: “The California EBT system is not working. Thank you for your patience as we work to fully restore all EBT services.”

FIS Customer Service Functionality

FIS Customer Service assists clients by:

  • Taking reports of lost or stolen EBT cards,
  • Providing EBT card balances for inquiries,
  • Providing the last 10 Transactions information on CalFresh and cash accounts,
  • Providing account history,
  • Processing two-month statement requests,
  • Providing card replacements,
  • Providing PIN replacements,
  • Identifying benefit access/service points available,
  • Providing information on the number of free cash withdrawals remaining,
  • Taking reports of unauthorized card use,
  • Providing an ARU, and
  • Providing other types of customer service.

Card Replacement

When a client calls to request a replacement card, the CSR will refer the client back to his/her EW and will NOT replace the card if:

  • There is a change in address, and/or
  • The client cannot provide information to identify him/herself.

When the request for card replacement is taken, the CSR will inform the client that the card will arrive in a few days, and if he/she needs the card sooner, to contact his/her EW.

Refer to EBT Card Is Lost, Stolen, or Damaged for instructions on what to do when a client requests a card replacement.

Excessive Card Replacement (ECR)

The ECR process is a part of the California CalFresh IP and is designed to enhance program integrity efforts through the reduction of ECRs. Although card replacements may be indicative of several situations (i.e., frequently misplaced card, etc), excessive card replacement may be an indicator of possible misuse.

ECR Warning Letters

The ECR warning letter is designed to inform the recipient that their household’s EBT card replacement rate suggests that they may be having trouble with their card(s) or potential misuse. The letter will include information regarding the proper use of the EBT card and the penalties for trafficking and/or misuse of EBT benefits. In addition, the letter will contain county contact information.

CalSAWS will issue the warning letters to the recipient within 30 days from the date the daily “Excessive Card Replacement Warning Letters” file is received. The daily file identifies the clients who have met the excessive card replacement criteria. A copy of each recipient warning letter will be available for viewing in CalSAWS under Printed Client Correspondence. Additionally, counties will be able to access a monthly report titled, “Excessive Card Replacement Report for FNS” from the SARS website or the WebADMIN administrative application. The report lists the cases which have at least four (4) card replacements in the previous 12-month period.

If a warning letter is returned as undeliverable, the worker will:

  • Review the case to ensure that it was sent to the last known address on file.
  • Contact the household to clarify residency.
  • Refer case to SIU, if loss of residency or an EBT misuse is suspected.
  • Submit the returned warning letter to IDM, F6 to be retained in the case records.
  • Document case actions in the Journal Detail page in CalSAWS.

Reminder: For Semi-Annual Reporting Non-Assistance CalFresh households, the change of address is NOT a mandatory mid-period report.

If the recipient requests a fifth card replacement within a 12-month period, and if trafficking is suspected, the county must make a referral to the SIU.

Special Investigative Unit (SIU) Referrals

The worker should make a referral for investigation any time there is a reasonable grounds of a suspicion of fraud even if the individual has not exceeded the ECR threshold (four (4) cards within a twelve (12) month period). Reasonable grounds include when an EW’s observation of conditions, which, based on the EW's knowledge of the case, provides reasons to suspect fraud exists or has been attempted by the recipient.

Individuals Without an SSN

The EBT system design provides specific customer services to be supported via the ARU. Two of those services include requesting a replacement EBT card and changing an existing PIN. An essential requirement to perform these functions is to validate the identity of the caller to ensure the integrity of the process and protect the cardholder’s account(s).

To change a PIN and/or process a card replacement, the caller’s identity MUST be successfully validated using the name, SSN, and DOB of the head of household as identifying demographics. When an SSN has NOT been entered into CalSAWS for an individual, zeros are sent to FIS. The ARU is programmed to NOT recognize all zeros as a valid SSN, and CSRs have been instructed NOT to accept all zeros as a valid SSN.

Most undocumented immigrants do not have SSNs, and it is NOT a requirement for the DAC/AR to provide an SSN; therefore, ANY individual without an SSN, whether the person is a U.S. citizen or an undocumented immigrant, CANNOT perform a PIN change and/or card replacement through the ARU. Individuals without an SSN are required to go to the district office for these services; however, all other functions may be performed using the card number as an identifier.

Related Topics

 

EBT Forms