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I'm experiencing this exact same login nightmare! My BenefitsCal account worked fine until about a week ago, and now it's telling me my email doesn't exist in their system - even though I literally have notification emails from them in my inbox from just last week. It's so frustrating when you depend on these benefits and the system randomly decides you don't exist! I tried calling yesterday but got stuck in the automated phone tree for over an hour before giving up. Reading through everyone's experiences here is both maddening and reassuring - at least I know it's not just me going crazy! I'm definitely going to try that 8 AM calling strategy that several people mentioned, and I'm also planning to visit my county office in person with all my documentation as backup. My recertification is coming up soon too, so the timing couldn't be worse. It's ridiculous that we have to become tech support experts just to access our own benefits, but I'm grateful for this community sharing real solutions. Thanks everyone for documenting your journeys through this mess - it helps so much to know we're not alone!
I'm dealing with this exact same issue right now too! Just started having problems with my BenefitsCal login this week - it's saying my email doesn't exist even though I've been using the same account for over a year. Like you, I have recent email notifications from them that prove my account is definitely still in their system somewhere. It's so stressful when you're trying to stay on top of your benefits and the website just randomly locks you out! I haven't tried calling yet but after reading everyone's experiences here, I'm definitely going to attempt that 8 AM strategy tomorrow morning. Also planning to gather all my documentation (including those email notifications as proof) for an in-person backup plan. It's absolutely ridiculous that we have to jump through all these hoops just to access basic benefits we're entitled to, but I'm really grateful for finding this thread. At least now I know it's a widespread system problem and not something we did wrong. Hang in there - based on what others have shared, it sounds like this does eventually get resolved even though the process is way more complicated than it should be!
I'm going through this exact same login crisis right now! My BenefitsCal account was working perfectly until about 4 days ago, and now it's telling me both my email and password don't exist - even though I have automated reminder emails from them in my inbox from just last week! It's absolutely maddening when you're trying to manage something as essential as food benefits and their system just randomly decides to forget you exist. I spent almost 3 hours yesterday trying to get through their phone system with no luck - just endless hold music and automated transfers that led nowhere. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been both frustrating and incredibly reassuring - I was honestly starting to think I was losing my mind! The 8 AM calling strategy that multiple people have mentioned sounds like the best approach, so I'm definitely setting my alarm to try that tomorrow morning. I'm also gathering all my documentation (including those recent email notifications as proof my account exists) for a potential in-person visit to my county office if the phone route fails. It's completely ridiculous that we have to become customer service experts and IT troubleshooters just to access benefits we're entitled to, but I'm so grateful for this community sharing real solutions and moral support. Thank you everyone for documenting your experiences through this nightmare - knowing we're all dealing with this together and that there are actual ways to get it resolved gives me hope that I'll get through this mess too!
I'm so sorry you're going through this nightmare too! Your situation sounds exactly like what I've been dealing with - it's incredibly frustrating when a system that's supposed to help us access basic necessities just randomly stops working. The fact that you have those automated reminder emails from just last week is perfect proof that your account definitely exists somewhere in their system, which makes this whole mess even more infuriating. I actually just started experiencing this same login issue myself a couple days ago, so I completely understand that feeling of thinking you're going crazy! The early morning calling strategy at 8 AM seems to be the most successful approach based on everyone's experiences here, so definitely give that a try. And having those email notifications printed out for your potential county office visit is really smart - solid documentation always helps when dealing with these bureaucratic disasters. It's absolutely absurd that we have to become customer service ninjas just to access our own benefits, but at least we have this amazing community to help navigate through the chaos. Based on what others have shared, this does eventually get resolved even though the process is way more complicated than it should be. Hang in there - we're all in this together!
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Can someone explain what counts as an overissuance? I just got a raise last week and havent reported it yet cuz my SAR7 isnt due until next month. Am I gonna get in trouble now??
You're fine! You have 10 days to report income changes that put you over the Income Reporting Threshold (IRT) listed on your last approval notice. If your new income doesn't exceed that IRT, you can just report it on your next SAR7 as you planned. Overissuances typically happen when you don't report income that puts you over your IRT within 10 days, or if you provide incorrect information that results in getting more benefits than you were eligible for.
Omg thank you!! Just checked and my IRT is $3,450 and even with the raise Im only at about $2,800 so sounds like Im ok to wait for the SAR7. Phew!
Just wanted to add that you should also keep all your paperwork related to the overissuance! I kept copies of the original notice, the repayment agreement, and I screenshot my EBT balance each month showing the reduced amount. This helped me when I had questions later about how much I'd already paid back. Also, if you're struggling with the reduced benefits, some food banks have extra resources for people dealing with benefit reductions - might be worth checking out while you're waiting for it to go back to normal.
This is such great advice! I wish I had thought to screenshot my EBT balance each month - I'm definitely going to start doing that now. And thanks for mentioning food banks, I didn't think about that option. Do you know if there are any specific food banks that help people with CalFresh reductions, or should I just call around to local ones?
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I'm new to receiving CalFresh benefits and just experienced this exact same issue for the first time yesterday morning! Tried to withdraw cash around 6 AM from a Bank of America ATM and got the "technical problems" message. I was panicking thinking there was something wrong with my account until I found this incredibly helpful thread. Reading through everyone's experiences and solutions has been such a relief - knowing it's a widespread Bank of America system issue and not individual account problems. The tips about using cash back at CVS, Walgreens, Dollar General, and even 7-Eleven are game-changers. I had no idea these were viable alternatives to ATMs with much lower fees. I'm definitely going to create that list of nearby cash back locations that several people mentioned, and set up a phone reminder to avoid trying withdrawals before 9 AM. It's frustrating that we have to become experts at working around their broken system just to access our own benefits, but I'm so grateful for communities like this where people share their hard-earned knowledge. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share your experiences and workarounds - this has saved me from future stress and wasted trips to broken ATMs!
Welcome to the community and to dealing with CalFresh benefits! I'm so glad you found this thread too - it really is such a relief to discover you're not alone when these ATM issues first happen. I remember having that same panic thinking my account was messed up somehow. This community has been amazing for learning all these workarounds that you'd never know about otherwise. The cash back options at pharmacies and convenience stores have become total lifesavers - way more reliable than gambling with those temperamental Bank of America ATMs. Your approach of making a list and setting phone reminders is really smart! It shouldn't have to be this complicated to access our own money, but at least we can help each other navigate around their system failures. Hope these tips save you from the ATM frustration that so many of us have experienced!
I'm really sorry you had to go through this frustrating experience, but I'm so glad you got it sorted out! This thread has been incredibly eye-opening for me as someone who's relatively new to using EBT benefits. The fact that so many people are dealing with these same Bank of America ATM issues during early morning hours really shows this is a systemic problem, not individual account issues. The community tips here are absolutely invaluable - I had no idea about using cash back at CVS, Walgreens, or even Dollar General as reliable alternatives. I'm definitely going to make a list of nearby locations and their fees like others suggested, and set a phone reminder to avoid trying withdrawals before 9 AM. It's honestly ridiculous that we have to become experts at working around a broken system just to access our own money, but I'm grateful for communities like this where people share their hard-earned knowledge. The suggestion about keeping receipts from failed ATM attempts to document with caseworkers is particularly smart - never would have thought of that. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and workarounds. This thread is going straight into my bookmarks for future reference!
Welcome to the community! I'm so glad this thread has been helpful for you as someone new to EBT benefits. It really is shocking how widespread these Bank of America ATM issues are - I wish someone had told me about all these workarounds when I first got my card! The cash back options at pharmacies have been a total game-changer for me. CVS especially has been super reliable, and their staff are usually pretty familiar with EBT transactions. Your plan to make a list and set reminders is really smart - I did the same thing after my first few frustrating experiences driving around to broken ATMs. It's sad that we have to be so strategic just to access our own money, but at least we can help each other navigate this mess of a system. The documentation tip is great too - I never thought about keeping those failed ATM receipts until someone here mentioned it. Hope you never have to deal with these technical problems, but now you're prepared with backup options if you do!
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This is such a wonderful thread to read! As someone who just got approved for CalFresh about 3 weeks ago, I had no idea that birthday cakes were eligible items. I was literally just wondering about this for my own child's upcoming birthday next month. It's so reassuring to see all the positive experiences people have shared here - from Safeway to Costco to local bakeries, it sounds like this is a completely normal and accepted use of benefits. I love how supportive this community is and how willing everyone is to share their real-world experiences. The tips about calling ahead if you're unsure and asking about decoration charges are so helpful. James, I hope your son has the most amazing 5th birthday party! And thank you for asking this question - it's helped way more people than just you! 🎂✨
Welcome to the community, Isaiah! I'm also pretty new to CalFresh (got approved about 2 months ago) and this thread has been such a game-changer for me too. It's amazing how much more confident you feel when you have real experiences from other parents to learn from. Before finding this community, I was constantly second-guessing what I could and couldn't buy, but seeing all these success stories really helps normalize using benefits for things like birthday celebrations. Your timing is perfect with your child's birthday coming up next month - now you can plan ahead knowing you have this option! This community really is incredible for getting practical answers to questions you didn't even know you had. Hope your little one has a fantastic birthday party when the time comes! 🎉
This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm fairly new to CalFresh (about 5 months now) and was actually just stressing about this exact same situation for my nephew's birthday next week. I was worried about asking at the store and potentially being told no in front of other customers. Reading through everyone's experiences - especially hearing from people who work at grocery stores and have processed these transactions regularly - gives me so much confidence. It's really reassuring to know that this is such a normal, accepted use of benefits across so many different stores. The tips about calling ahead and asking about decoration charges are brilliant too. James, your son is going to have such a wonderful 5th birthday! Thank you for asking this question that's helped so many of us feel more confident about using our benefits for our kids' special celebrations! 🎂
Aiden Rodríguez
I'm also experiencing this exact same issue! Started having login problems on Monday and have been so stressed thinking I somehow messed up my account. This thread has been incredibly reassuring - it's such a relief to know this is affecting people statewide and not just me forgetting my own password! I was getting really anxious because I need to check on my recertification documents that I submitted last week. Thank you @Miguel Silva for the update from your county office and @Amina Toure for the professional insights about the 72-hour timeline. I'm definitely going to try calling that EBT customer service line at 877-328-9677 tomorrow to check my balance. It's so frustrating when these systems fail right when we need them most, but this community support has been amazing. Really hoping this gets resolved by Friday like they promised!
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Sasha Ivanov
•Hi @Aiden Rodríguez! Welcome to the community - I'm new here too but this thread has been such a lifesaver! I started having the exact same login issues on Tuesday and was going through the same panic thinking I'd somehow messed up my account or forgotten my password. It's honestly incredible how many of us are experiencing this identical problem - really shows this is a major statewide system issue and nothing we did wrong. I was also stressing about my recertification documents! From what @Amina Toure shared earlier she (works with a community assistance org ,)the workers can still access everything they need on their end even when our client portal is down, so your submitted documents should be fine. That EBT customer service number has been a game changer for several people here for checking balances while the website is broken. This community has been amazing at helping each other through these frustrating system failures - makes you realize we re'definitely not alone in dealing with these issues!
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CosmicVoyager
I'm having the exact same login issues since Tuesday morning! Was starting to panic thinking I'd been locked out or hacked somehow. This thread has been such a relief - knowing it's a statewide system problem and not just me going crazy with my password. I was particularly worried because my semi-annual report is due next month and I wanted to get started on it early. Thanks to everyone for sharing the helpful resources, especially that EBT customer service line at 877-328-9677. I'm going to try calling them tomorrow to check my balance while we wait for this to get fixed. Really appreciate @Miguel Silva for keeping us updated on what the county office said about Friday being the target fix date. It's so frustrating when these systems fail right when we need them, but this community support makes all the difference!
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Andre Moreau
•Hi @CosmicVoyager! I'm also new to this community but have been following this thread since I started having the exact same login issues on Wednesday. It's been such a relief to read everyone's experiences - I was also convinced I'd somehow been locked out or forgotten my password! The panic is real when these systems suddenly stop working. That's smart of you to want to get started on your SAR early - I learned from this thread that it's always good to submit those reports well before the deadline to avoid exactly these kinds of system issues. That EBT customer service number seems to be working well for people as a workaround. From everything shared here, it sounds like all our benefits and paperwork should process normally on the backend even when the client portal is down. This community has been amazing at supporting each other through this frustrating situation - really shows how many of us depend on reliable access to these services!
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