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Clients are issued a Michigan Bridge Card to purchase certain food products and access cash benefits at a number of retailers and ATMs throughout the state.

Contact a customer service representative toll-free at 888-678-8914 if you:

  • Received your first card in the mail - follow the instructions that came with your card to choose a personal identification number (PIN).
  • Have a lost or stolen card.
  • Suspect someone else is using your card.
  • Have trouble with your card.
  • Forgot or want to change your PIN.
  • Need to know your food and/or cash benefits balance and cannot find your last store receipt.
  • Want to know a location nearby to use your card.

Customer service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (Spanish and Arabic service is available). If you are deaf, deafblind or hard of hearing- or speech-impaired, call the Michigan Relay Center at 7-1-1.

Bridge Card Fraud

How to prevent Bridge card fraud
Protect your benefits

EBT Fraud Replacement Benefits

If your food and/or cash benefits have been stolen because of EBT/Bridge card fraud (this includes card cloning, skimming, and other fraudulent activities such as telephone, text, and email phishing schemes), you may be eligible for fraud replacement benefits. Contact your local MDHHS Office if you have had food and/or cash benefits stolen because of EBT/Bridge card fraud. Fraud replacement benefits for food benefits are available only from 10/01/2022 through 12/20/2024.

If your benefits were stolen for another reason (your Michigan Bridge card was stolen, benefits were used by someone you know, you gave your card and/or PIN to someone, etc.), replacement benefits are not available.

 

Using Your Bridge Card

When you get your new card, instructions will be included. In the meantime, you can check out the following resources.

The How to Use Your Michigan Bridge Card or How to User Your Michigan Bridge Card (Spanish) booklets cover all aspects of how to use the Bridge Card at retailer locations and ATMs. They explain how to care for the card and what you should do if the card is damaged, lost, or stolen.

Participating businesses where you can use your Bridge Card: 


Always look for the Quest logo or ask an employee if the Bridge Card is accepted before making a purchase.  QUEST logo for EBT Businesses

Expungement of Food Assistance Benefits

Per USDA FNS federal guidelines (7 CFR 272.2), if you do not use any of your FAP benefits for nine months (274 days), they will be expunged, or removed from your account.  This means the FAP benefits will no longer be available to spend and will be removed from your EBT card permanently. 


Frequently Asked Questions FAQ

  1. How can I stop the expungement from happening?

    Use your EBT card immediately to make a purchase using your FAP benefits.  Then make sure you are using your FAP benefits at least once every nine months (274 days). FAP benefits are removed after nine months (274) days of non-use.

  2. How do I know if my benefits are going to expunge?

    We will notify you 30 days before your benefits will expire. You will receive the notice informing you that you have not used your FAP benefits in nine months (274 days). The notice will give you a date by which, you need to use your card by.  If you use your EBT FAP card prior to the date your benefits will not expunge. 

  3. Why is this expungement happening?

    As a result of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (also known as the Farm Bill) the length of time FAP benefits can remain unused in an EBT account before being expunged decreased from one year (365 days) to nine months (274 days). 

  4. How can I check my FAP benefit balance?

    You can log into the ebtEDGE website at www.ebtEDGE.com and create an account which will allow you to check your balance at any time.  You may also call the EBT Customer Service at 1-888-678-8914 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to check your FAP balance.

  5. What if I lost my EBT card or it is damaged?

    Call EBT Customer Service at 1-888-678-8914, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to report a lost card or if you need a new EBT card.

  6. Where can I use my FAP benefits?

    FAP benefits can be used at participating retailers, farmers markets and certain online retailers.  

  7. Will this also impact Pandemic EBT (PEBT) benefits my child received for school meals?

    Yes, any FAP benefits including PEBT, unused for nine months (274 days) is subject to expungement.  

  8. What if I disagree with this decision on my FAP benefits?

    If you feel this decision to remove FAP benefits from your EBT card was in error, you have the right to appeal and ask for a Fair Hearing within 90 days of the date of the expungement notice you received.  The fair hearing will be conducted by phone unless you request to have it in person.  At a fair hearing, you and a representative from our agency will speak with a neutral official called an Administrative Law Judge who will review the facts of your case in a fair and objective manor, as required by law.  You may speak for yourself during the hearing or have someone else such as an attorney, friend or relative speak on your behalf.

    If you want an attorney to speak for you at the hearing but cannot afford one, you may be able to get free legal help with your hearing request.  To find help, go online to Legal Programs by County (michbar.org).

    The request should include your name, address, and case number. Attach a copy of this notice.  This request can be made in writing you or you can go to http://www.michigan.gov/documents/lara/FIA-Pub18_14356_7_530174_7.pdf to download a form to use or contact your local MDHHS office to request a form.

  9. What if I disagree with this decision based on my Pandemic EBT (PEBT) benefits?

    Pandemic EBT benefits are issued using a process different from FAP.  For concerns with PEBT benefit expungement, call the customer service line at 1-833-905-0028.