DHS: cHilDren, aDultS anD familieS DiviSion
How To use Your
Card
Questions?
Call customer service
24 hours a day
seven days a week
1-888-997-4447 (toll free)
TTY (hearing impaired)
1-800-735-2900
Independent. Healthy. Safe.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Words to know................................1
What is your Oregon Trail Card?... 2
Be careful with your card.............. 3
What is your “PIN?”....................... 4
When to call Customer Service.... 5
Using your Oregon Trail
Card at a store................................6
Making a purchase................. 7
Getting cash ............................8
If the POS machine is
not working ....................................9
Using your card at an ATM...........11
How to find out your balance . ....14
When can you get your
benefits? ......................................16
If you need to have someone
help you use your benefits . ........18
Before you move .........................19
It’s the law!...................................19
Things to remember . ..................20
Safety tips.....................................22
words to know
ATM (Automated Teller
Machine)
A machine you can
use to withdraw cash
benefits.
Customer Service
A toll free number to
call for help using your
card.
EBT (Electronic
Benefits Transfer)
The system that Oregon
uses to get TANF and
Food Stamp benefits to
clients. Oregon Trail
Cards are sometimes
called “EBT Cards.”
PIN (Personal
Identification Number)
The secret number you
need to use your card.
POS (Point-of-Sale)
A machine in a store
you use to make
purchases or
withdraw cash.
Oregon Department of Human Services
1
what is your
oregon trail card?
The Oregon Trail Card is a SAFE, EASY
and CONVENIENT way for you to get
your benefits each month.
Your
number
Your
signature
be careful with your card
YOUR CARD IS LIKE CASH.
KEEP IT IN A SAFE PLACE.
•DO NOT throw away your card.
Use the same card every month..
•Put your card away as soon as you
finish using it. DO NOT leave your
card laying around, even at home.
•DO NOT let others use your card. If
they spend your benefits, you can’t
get them replaced.
DO NOT DAMAGE YOUR CARD BY:
•Your benefits will be put in an
Oregon Trail account set up for you.
•To get your benefits, you must use
the Oregon Trail Card at a grocery
store or Automated Teller Machine
(ATM).
Remember:
Your Oregon Trail Card
+ Your PIN number
= The way you get your benefits
2
How to use your Oregon Trail Card
•Bending or folding it, or scratching
or writing on the black stripe on the
back;
•Washing your card or getting it wet;
•Leaving it near magnets, TVs,
stereos, VCRs, or microwaves;
•Leaving it in the sun or other hot
places, like the dashboard of a car.
•Call 1-888-997-4447 right away if
your card is lost, stolen or damaged
Oregon Department of Human Services
3
What is your “pin”?
Whenever you use your card, you must
enter four secret numbers. These
numbers are your PIN, or Personal
Identification Number.
When you get your card, you will choose
your PIN. Use four numbers that you
can remember but that other people
cannot easily guess.
when to call
customer service
1-888-997-4447
Toll free
call 24 hours a day,
seven days a week if:
•Your card is lost or stolen.*
If you forget your PIN or need a new
PIN, go to your local office.
•Your card is used by someone else.*
You have four tries each day to enter
your correct PIN. After four tries, you
cannot use your card until the next day.
•You forgot your PIN or want a new
PIN.*
PROTECT YOUR PIN
•Keep your PIN secret. Memorize it!
•DO NOT write your PIN on your card.
(If you need to write it down, keep
that paper in a different place than
your card.)
•DO NOT let anyone (not even the
store clerk) see your PIN when you
enter it into the POS machine.
•Don’t let anyone use your card
and PIN.
4
How to use your Oregon Trail Card
•Your card does not work.*
•You need to know your Food Stamp
or cash balance and you cannot find
your last receipt. (see page 14).
•You want to find out about fees.
•You want to find a place nearby to
use your card.
•You have questions about using your
card.
*Customer Service will cancel the card
for you, but you must go to the branch
office if you need a new card or PIN.
Oregon Department of Human Services
5
using your oregon
trail card at a store
making a purchase
at a store
Know your balance before
you go shopping.
(See page 14 for information on
how to find your balance.)
At a store that shows the Oregon Trail
sign you can:
•Buy food with your Food Stamp
benefits;
•Buy non-food items with your cash
benefits;
•Get cash from your cash benefits
when you make a purchase. (You will
not be charged a extra fee for this.);
•Get cash from your cash benefits
without making a purchase. (Some
stores may limit the amount of cash
you can get. There is a fee if you get
cash without a purchase more than
two times a month.)
If you do not see the Oregon Trail sign
at a store, ask the store manager if you
can use your card to buy things or to
get cash.
6
How to use your Oregon Trail Card
At the store checkout:
1. Give your card to the clerk or slide
your own card. The clerk enters the
amount of the food purchase. The
clerk should not leave the area
with your card.
2. Check the amount that shows in
the POS window. If the amount is
correct, key in your PIN.
Press ENTER.
3. Take your card, groceries and
receipt.
Not all POS machines use the same
steps. Ask the clerk if you need help.
The amount of your food purchases is
taken out of your Food Stamp account.
Non-food items come from your cash
benefits account, or you can pay cash for
them.
You can use POS machines to buy food
as many times as you want each month,
until all your benefits are gone.
Oregon Department of Human Services
7
getting cash at the store
Many stores let you get
money from your cash
account when you make
a purchase. You won’t be
charged a fee for this.
If you aren’t making a purchase, you
may still be able to get cash from your
cash account. Ask the clerk.
IF THE STORE’S pos is not
working or there is no pos
If the POS machine in the store is not
working, the clerk will ask you to sign a
form for the amount of food you are
buying with Food Stamp benefits.
Check the Amount. It should be the
same amount as the food you bought.
You won’t pay a fee the first two times
each month that you get cash without
making a purchase. After that, your
cash account will be charged 85¢
each time.
To get cash at a store:
1. Give your card to the clerk or
slide your own card. Tell the clerk
the amount of cash you want to
receive.
2. Check the amount that shows in
the POS window.
3. If the amount is correct, enter
your PIN. Press ENTER.
4. Take your card, cash and receipt.
You can also buy a money order from
your cash account.
8
How to use your Oregon Trail Card
If the amount is correct, sign your name
and the date.
Remember, DO NOT tell the clerk
your PIN!
The clerk will call to check if you have
enough benefits in your food account to
purchase the food. If you do, the total
food amount will be subtracted from
your account.
continued
Oregon Department of Human Services
9
(continued from page 9)
The form can only be used to make
food purchases from your Food Stamp
account. You cannot make purchases
from your cash account or get cash.
The form is also used by food
merchants that do not have POS
machines, such as:
•Small stores without POS machines;
•People who sell on delivery routes;
•Meals delivered to your home
by programs such as “Meals on
Wheels”,
•Meal sites such as homeless
shelters.
using your oregon
trail card at an atm
At an ATM, you can take
cash out of your cash
benefits account.
•Your cash account will be charged
85¢ for each cash withdrawal from
an ATM.
•Some ATMs charge you another
fee as well. This is more likely to
happen at a bank’s ATM.
You can find out if you will be charged
an extra fee by starting to take out
money. The ATM will tell you how much
it will charge. You can then cancel the
withdrawal and try another ATM.
Most clients cannot get cash from their
Food Stamp account. Only elderly and
SSI clients in Clackamas, Columbia,
Multnomah and Washington counties
are able to do this.
The steps you follow may be different
for each type of ATM you use. The basic
instructions begin on the next page.
10
How to use your Oregon Trail Card
Oregon Department of Human Services
11
6
Take your cash.
ATM Instructions
1
Insert your card.
2
Enter your PIN.
Press ENTER.
3
Select
WITHDRAWAL.
4
Select
CHECKING.
5
Enter the amount.
Select CORRECT.
If the ATM fee is
more than 85¢,
you can cancel and
try another ATM.
12
How to use your Oregon Trail Card
7
Another transaction?
Select No.
8
Take your card
and receipt.
•You can take out all your cash
benefits from an ATM in one day. But
you may have to take cash out more
than once if the machine limits how
much you can get each time. You’ll
be charged a fee EACH TIME you
take money out.
•For small amounts of cash, you can
go to a store that lets you take out
cash benefits or gives cash back
with a purchase.
Oregon Department of Human Services
13
how to find out
your balance
2 YOU CAN CALL
CUSTOMER SERVICE
There are two ways to find out how
much money is in your Food Stamp or
cash account.
1 YOU CAN LOOK AT YOUR LAST
STORE OR ATM RECEIPT
If you cannot find your last receipt, you
can call 24 hours a day, seven days a
week for your balance.
If you do not have a touch-tone phone,
stay on the line and an operator will
help you. For TTY services, call
1-800-735-2900.
1. Dial 1-888-997-4447
Current Cash
Benefit Balance
2. Listen to the message about more
options. On the phone keypad,
enter the option # that allows you
to hear your balance.
Current Food
Stamp Benefit
Balance
3. L isten to the message. Then enter
all 16 numbers from your card.
4. Listen for your balance amount.
5. After you have heard your balance
follow the message instructions to
end your call.
14
How to use your Oregon Trail Card
Oregon Department of Human Services
15
when can you get
your benefits?
TANF Cash Benefits
Your TANF cash benefits are
available after 8:00 a.m. on the
1st of every month.
Food Stamp Benefits
If your
Social Security
Number ends in:
Your Food Stamp
benefits are available
after 8:00 a.m. on the:
0 or 1 ............... 1st of every month
2 ...................... 2nd of every month
3 ....................... 3rd of every month
4 ....................... 4th of every month
•If you report your income monthly,
your benefits will come after you
send in your form.
•Benefits are available on weekends
and holidays.
•Elderly and SSI clients in
Clackamas, Columbia, Multnomah
and Washington counties have their
Food Stamp benefits put in a cash
account. These benefits will be
available on the first of every month.
•Your unused benefits are carried
over to the next month.
•You need to use your benefits
within 12 months. If you don’t, the
unused amount will be taken out of
your account.
5 ....................... 5th of every month
6 ....................... 6th of every month
7 ....................... 7th of every month
8 ....................... 8th of every month
9 ....................... 9th of every month
16
How to use your Oregon Trail Card
Oregon Department of Human Services
17
if you need to have someone
help you use your benefits
Some people are unable to get to
stores or ATM machines to use their
benefits. They may choose a person,
called an “alternate payee,”to help
them.
The alternate payee will have their own
Oregon Trail Card and PIN. This card
lets the payee access the client’s food
benefits and take out cash benefits on
the clients behalf.
If you need an alternate payee, choose
a person you trust. Remember, your
alternate payee can access your
benefits.
Call your local office if you have
problems with your alternate payee.
You can call 1-888-997-4447 at any
time to cancel your alternate payee’s
card.
before you move
DO NOT RISK LOSING YOUR BENEFITS!
•Call your local office immediately with
your new address.
it’s the law
Misuse of your Oregon
Trail card is against
the law. It may result
in criminal charges
against you and an end
to your benefits.
It is a crime to sell your card
and PIN to others.
Also, if you lose your card as lost again
and again, the state may decide to make
a special investigation of your case.
For more information about alternate
payees, call your local office.
18
How to use your Oregon Trail Card
Oregon Department of Human Services
19
things to remember
•Use a POS machine
to buy food or to use
cash benefits.
YOUR CARD
AND PIN
•If your card is
lost or stolen, call
1-888-997- 4447.
•Take care of your card.
•Keep your card in a safe place.
•DO NOT leave your card at the ATM
or POS machine.
•DO NOT let anyone else use your
card.
•Call your local office if you move, so
you do not lose benefits.
BALANCES
•Know your account balance before
you go shopping.
•Save your store and ATM receipts so
you know your account balance.
20
POS MACHINES
How to use your Oregon Trail Card
•You will not be charged a fee to
make purchases.
•You will not be charged a fee when
you get cash back with a purchase.
•If you don’t make a purchase, you
can get cash from a POS two times a
month without a fee. After that, you
are charged 85¢ each time.
AUTOMATED
TELLER MACHINES
(ATMs)
•You can use an ATM to get your cash
benefits.
•Your cash account will be charged
a fee for EACH ATM withdrawal you
make. The fee will be at least 85¢
and could be higher.
Oregon Department of Human Services
21
safety tips
SAFETY TIPS AT THE STORE
•Check the amount that shows in the
POS window before you key in your
PIN.
•DO NOT let anyone see your PIN as
you enter it.
•DO NOT let the clerk or store
manager leave the area with your
card.
SAFETY TIPS AT THE ATM
•Have your card ready.
•Always use ATMs in well-lit areas.
•Do not use an ATM outside at night
when you are alone.
If you sense danger, cancel your
transaction. Take your card and
leave the area right away.
•Do not let anyone see your PIN as
you enter it.
•Put your cash, card and receipt away
quickly.
22
DHS 0208, Rev. 10/08