Replacing an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card at a customer's request 103-04040060

The customer or correspondence nominee advises the EBT card has been lost, stolen, damaged, deactivated, the Personal Identification Number (PIN) is for the wrong card, the PIN has been lost or they dispute a transaction that has taken place.

Check the EBT Card Summary (EBSM) screen to see if customer has made any withdrawals from EBT card issued amount.

If it shows there are still available funds:

• Via the customer's record access the Payment Summary (PS) screen
• Key 'R' next to the original EBT payment
• Note: the card would have automatically cancelled if the balance was $0
• In the Issue Payment select (IPPRE) screen 'S'elect Re-deliver Unreturned Payment
• 'S'elect Default Destination (Direct Credit / System Cheque)
• On the Redeliver Payment (RDP) screen the Available Amount field will display the EBT card's residual balance

Does the EBT card have a residual balance?

• Yes, go to Step 4
• No, go to Step 3

Explain to the customer all the funds have been withdrawn in full.

Does the customer agree all the funds have been withdrawn in full?

• Yes, record all action has been taken in a DOC. Procedure ends here
• No, go to Step 6

Investigate the customer's record for any reason as to why the customer may not be entitled to the payment.

• Check the customer has an entitlement to the money. To do this check the DOCs on the Document List (DL) screen associated with the issuing of the payment
• Check the residual amount has not been reissued via the Payment Adjustment (PYAJ) screen in the customer's record. It will appear on the PS screen as a One Time Payment (OTP)
• If the balance of the EBT Card is the same as it was when it was issued, this may indicate the card may not have been given to the customer, as they were not entitled to the payment. For example, customer was not released as expected from Prison

Is the customer entitled to the payment?

• Yes, go to Step 5
• No, see Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card with a residual balance

Does the customer agree with the residual balance?

• Yes, go to Step 7
• No, go to Step 6

The customer advises balance on EBT card is not correct and disputes Automatic Teller Machine (ATM) transaction. Reasons may include a faulty ATM, the customer may have previously withdrawn funds but does not remember or, incorrect process initially when crediting funds to the EBT card.

Services Australia will refer the dispute to the financial institution for investigation. The customer is not to liaise directly with the organisation that owns the ATM.

• Select the EBT card from the EBSM screen
• Select the EBT card on the EBTH screen and the EBT Transaction Dispute (EBDS) screen will display
• Complete the EBDS screen with details of the disputed transaction
• Escalate to ICT by following normal escalation procedures. For Smart Centre staff, see Tier 0 technical support - self-sufficiency
• Service Support Officer (SSO) or escalating officer must use the mySupport escalation webform 'EBT Disputed Transaction Requests (EBT) Incident'. See Resources for a link to mySupport. Include the following additional information in the 'Is there any additional information that may be relevant to this issue?' field of the webform:
• Customer Reference Number (CRN)
• Customer's name
• transaction amount requested
• ATM transaction receipt attached Y/N
• If it is believed the customer has a legitimate dispute for the funds, include a statement in the request and a DOC on the customer record so the priority call back is organised to you, to organise the residual balance be issued to the customer
• In circumstances where a customer displays aggressive behaviour to staff, or refuses to leave until the matter is resolved, follow normal escalation procedures to have the record telephoned through to the ICT Service Desk Urgent Escalation line. The Resources page has a link to mySupport to allow access to the relevant Article – ‘Valid reasons to call the Shared Services Urgent Escalation Channel’
• ICT will check the customer record and details before escalation to Payments. They will then request a transaction trace with Payments Helpdesk

Note: under no circumstances is the PYAJ screen to be used to reissue residual amounts.

Customers should be advised:

• the reconciliation is done by the financial institution and not the agency
• the process takes approximately two weeks
• the decision of the financial institution cannot be influenced by the agency
• if the dispute is not resolved in the customer's favour, any funds that were reissued before the finalisation of the dispute will be recovered as a debt

Is the EBT card balance $20 or more?

• Yes, go to Step 8
• No, cards with a balance of less than $20 will normally have been automatically cancelled and the funds reissued to the customer's default payment destination (if CURrent), or an MFU created (if no longer CURrent). This is because the balance is less than the $20 and a replacement EBT card cannot be issued

Has the EBT card been lost, stolen, damaged, deactivated, the PIN is for the wrong card or the PIN has been lost, or has the reissue of a disputed amount been authorised by the Payments Helpdesk?

Note: deactivated cards can be identified by a Manual Follow-up (MFU) activity with text 'Card deactivated by Automatic Teller Network' and keywords 'EBT' and 'DEACT'.

• Yes, confirm the customer is entitled to the payment and reissue any residual balance
• Access the PS screen in the customer's record
• Key 'R' next to the original EBT payment
  Note: the card would have automatically cancelled if the balance was $0.
• In the Issue Payment select (IPPRE) screen 'S'elect Re-deliver Unreturned Payment
• 'S'elect Default Destination (Direct Credit / System Cheque)
• On the Redeliver Payment (RDP) screen, the Available Amount field will display the EBT card's residual balance on the RDP screen complete details to reissue the residual balance. The Reason: field must be completed with reason code of 'EBT'
• Record details of reissued payment on a DOC
• Preferred method of delivery for the reissue of the funds is via Direct Credit which can be actioned by Smart Centre staff, but if the customer needs the funds to be reissued by another EBT card, they must attend a service centre
• No, explain to the customer how to use the EBT card. The customer is to be advised:
• The balance of the EBT card
• To use the EBT card at any ATM make one withdrawal of the full amount issued to the EBT card. (The amount issued to the EBT card should be recorded on the back of the How to use your Electronic Benefits Transfer card brochure.) ATMs only dispense $20 and $50 notes
• Make the withdrawal immediately
• Once the payment has been fully withdrawn, bend or cut the card in half and dispose of it
• If the EBT card has been lost or stolen, or the customer has any problem using the card they are advised to contact Services Australia, not the organisation that owns the ATM being used

Record all action taken on a DOC.

Issue a How to use your Electronic Benefits Transfer card brochure (13240).

Note: under no circumstances is an agency staff member to withdraw the funds on a customer's behalf.