Job & Family Services to host job fair and warns SNAP recipients about phone scams

A representative from Lake County Job and Family Services told commissioners the county’s OhioMeansJobs team will partner with the Lake County Board of Developmental Disabilities to hold a free inclusive job fair and career expo tomorrow from 9 a.m. to noon at Manor Paradigm with more than 20 employers participating.

The representative also announced a workshop on Wednesday, March 11 from 10 a.m. to noon focused on job searching and digital application assistance, open to the public and held inside the Job and Family Services building.

During the report the staff warned of a recent phishing attempt targeting SNAP recipients. The staff member said scammers are contacting recipients by phone or text to tell them to call back immediately or risk suspension, and advised recipients not to share their EBT card number or PIN unless they call the customer service number directly. The representative provided the EBT customer service number as +1 (866) 386-3071 and said that county staff will not proactively call recipients requesting PINs or card numbers.

A commissioner asked whether the customer service line would ever call recipients to request that information; the Job and Family Services representative confirmed the customer service center only responds when recipients call in. The representative closed by encouraging job seekers to attend the events and by reiterating the fraud warning for SNAP recipients.