Lakewood families who get SNAP or WFNJ benefits have a hard deadline on Tuesday, October 20. That is the day the old magnetic-stripe EBT card stops working in Ocean County and every other New Jersey county outside Cumberland, Essex and Mercer, according to the state Division of Family Development.

The replacement is a new chip and tap card, which the state has mailed to every cardholder. It comes in a plain white envelope with a Kentucky return address, not from the county social services office, so it is easy to mistake for junk mail. Anyone who tossed that envelope should check the mail pile, and the wallet, tonight.

To activate the new card, go to NJFamiliesFirst.gov, use the ConnectEBT app, or call EBT Customer Service at 1-800-997-3333. Existing benefits transfer to the new card automatically once it is activated, and the old card stops working at that point. The state says to destroy the old card after activating.

Cardholders who have not activated by Friday, November 20 will have their new chip card deactivated and will need to contact their county social services agency for a replacement. Fees may apply. Anyone who never received a card should check the mailing address on NJFamiliesFirst.gov or in the ConnectEBT app before requesting one.

The new card has an encrypted chip, tap-to-pay, and a three-digit security code on the back. At checkout, cardholders should tap or insert the card. If a store does not accept the chip, the terminal will prompt for a swipe, which the state calls less secure. The upgrade comes after the EBT skimming thefts that hit Lakewood families last year, and cardholders can still use the card lock feature in the app or on the website to block purchases when the card is not in use.