EPPICard Scam Pops Up In Indiana

Payment system used to trick cardholders into revealing information

August 1, 2008

Eppicard • EPPICard Scam Pops Up In Indiana • Consumer Complaints

More scammers appear to be using the EPPICard as a pretense to trick consumers into revealing sensitive information. Indiana Attorney General Steve Carter has issued a consumer alert about bogus text, voice and e-mail messages, claiming to come from EPPICard.

At least one state agency, the Indiana Department of Workforce Development, uses the EPPICard system to administer unemployment insurance benefits, Carter said.

EPPICard is an electronic funds transfer card, used by a number of states to make payments to citizens for a variety of purposes. Instead of mailing a benefits check, for example, the state might simply deposit funds in the citizen's EPPICard account. The card can be used like a credit card at retail locations, and at ATMs.

The attorney general's office said it has received several complaints about the messages, which falsely inform recipients that their EPPICard account is closed. It instructs recipients to call a telephone number and to provide personal and/or card information.

Example Text Message:

FRM: EPPICard

SUBJ: Notification

MSG: Your EPPICard account is closed due to unusual activity, call us now at 7573200489.

"If you have received a message, purportedly from EPPICard, do not respond," said Carter. "It's nothing more than a scam designed to drain your account and steal your personal information."

An alert on the EPPICard Web site indicates that the company will never request social security numbers, card numbers or personal identification numbers (PIN) through text, voice or e-mail messages. The company urges people who believe their account has been compromised to call the telephone number on the back of the card.

More Scam Alerts ...

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