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If I could give 10 stars I would If I could give 10 stars I would Such an amazing service so needed during the times when EDD almost never picks up Claimyr gets me on the phone with EDD every time without fail faster. A much needed service without Claimyr I would have never received the payment I needed to support me during my postpartum recovery. Thank you so much Claimyr!
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Was a bit nervous or untrusting at first, but my calls went thru. First time the wait was a bit long but their customer chat line on their page was helpful and put me at ease that I would receive my call. Today my call dropped because of EDD and Claimyr heard my concern on the same chat and another call was made within the hour.
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An incredibly helpful service! Got me connected to a CA EDD agent without major hassle (outside of EDD's agents dropping calls – which Claimyr has free protection for). If you need to file a new claim and can't do it online, pay the $ to Claimyr to get the process started. Absolutely worth it!
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Used this service a couple times now. Before I'd call 200 times in less than a weak frustrated as can be. But using claimyr with a couple hours of waiting i was on the line with an representative or on hold. Dropped a couple times but each reconnected not long after and was mission accomplished, thanks to Claimyr.
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I tried for weeks to get thru to EDD PFL program with no luck. I gave this a try thinking it may be a scam. OMG! It worked and They got thru within an hour and my claim is going to finally get paid!! I upgraded to the $60 call. Best $60 spent!
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That's such great news! I'm so relieved you got it resolved quickly. The transition from expedited to regular benefits seems to be a common issue that trips up the system but nobody warns new recipients about it. It's frustrating that you had to go through the stress of not knowing what was wrong, especially with kids to feed. Definitely keeping Claimyr bookmarked for future reference - seems like it's a real lifesaver when the regular phone system fails us. Hope your benefits load smoothly from now on!
This is such a relief to read! I'm new to this community and CalFresh myself (just applied last week), so seeing posts like this makes me really nervous about what to expect. It's crazy that they don't warn people about these transition issues - seems like something they should mention when you first get approved. I'm definitely saving that Claimyr link for future reference just in case. Thanks for sharing your experience and I'm so glad your kids won't have to go hungry anymore!
This is exactly why I love this community - everyone jumps in to help when someone's struggling! @Chloe Taylor I'm so happy you got your benefits sorted out. The expedited-to-regular transition issue seems to happen more often than it should, and you're right that they really should warn people about potential delays during that switch. For anyone else reading this who might face similar issues, it sounds like Claimyr is definitely worth trying when the regular phone system isn't working. It's ridiculous that we have to use third-party services to get basic help, but if it gets people the assistance they need faster, I'm all for it. Thanks for updating us with the resolution - posts like this are so valuable for other families who might hit the same roadblock!
This whole thread has been so helpful to read as someone who just joined this community! I'm actually going through the application process right now and had no idea about these potential second-month transition issues. It's really reassuring to see how everyone came together to help @Chloe Taylor figure this out, and I m'definitely bookmarking that Claimyr service just in case. The fact that it was just a system flag that could be cleared in minutes but caused days of stress and worry really shows how broken the communication is in this system. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - it makes navigating all this so much less scary when you know there are people who understand and want to help!
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I'm so glad I found this thread! I've been having the exact same issue for the past few months and was starting to think there was something wrong with my case. It's such a relief to know that there's actually a predictable schedule based on your case number - I had no idea! I'm going to dig out my paperwork tonight and figure out what day mine should come. It's honestly kind of frustrating that they don't make this information more prominent when you first get approved. Like others mentioned, you get so much paperwork but somehow miss the most important detail about when you'll actually receive your benefits. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and tips!
I totally feel you on this! When I first got CalFresh, I was so overwhelmed by all the paperwork that I completely missed the deposit schedule info too. It really should be highlighted better - maybe on the front page or in bold letters! Once you find your case number and figure out your day, I'd recommend doing what others suggested and setting up those text alerts. It made such a huge difference for me. You're definitely not alone in being confused about this - seems like it's a common experience for new recipients. Hope you get it all sorted out!
I'm new to CalFresh and this thread has been incredibly helpful! I just got approved last week and was wondering about this exact thing. My case worker mentioned something about a deposit schedule but I honestly zoned out during that part of the conversation because there was so much information to process. Reading everyone's experiences makes me feel so much better - it sounds like being confused about the timing is totally normal when you're starting out. I'm going to look up my case number tonight and figure out my deposit day. Thanks to everyone who shared the schedule breakdown and app recommendations!
Welcome to CalFresh and to the community! Don't worry about zoning out during that conversation - there really is SO much information thrown at you during the approval process that it's impossible to remember everything. I think most of us here had that same experience of feeling overwhelmed by all the details. The good news is that once you find your case number and figure out your deposit day, it becomes second nature. And like others mentioned, those text alerts and apps really do make a huge difference in keeping track of everything. Feel free to ask questions here anytime - everyone is super supportive and we've all been in your shoes!
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Just wanted to follow up - were you able to resolve your PIN issue? If you're still waiting, I recommend contacting your local food bank as well. They can often provide emergency food assistance while you wait for your CalFresh benefits to become usable.
That's amazing news @Zara Shah! So glad you were able to get your emergency PIN and feed your family. Your experience will definitely help other parents in similar situations. It's frustrating that the system makes it so hard to access benefits when people are in urgent need, but at least there are workarounds like the Claimyr service and emergency PIN options that more people should know about. Thanks for updating us on how it worked out!
This is such great news! I'm new to this community but seeing how everyone came together to help @Zara Shah really shows what these forums are all about. I just applied for CalFresh myself and was worried about potential delays, but knowing about resources like Claimyr and the emergency PIN option gives me peace of mind. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - it s'so valuable for newcomers like me to learn from people who ve'actually been through the process!
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This exact same thing is happening to me right now! I'm on day 3 of my card being restricted and I have $520 in benefits I can't touch. The county workers keep telling me "the system shows your card should work" but it clearly doesn't! I've gotten two replacement cards and both died within an hour. Reading through these comments is actually giving me hope that there might be a real solution. I'm definitely going to try calling that EBT customer service line (1-877-328-9677) that Ali mentioned, and I'm going to ask specifically about fraud alerts and account resets like Victoria suggested. It's so maddening that we have to become detectives to figure out their broken system, but at least now I have some specific things to ask for instead of just getting the runaround. Thank you for posting this - knowing I'm not the only one dealing with this mess helps!
I'm so glad this thread is helping you too! It's awful that we're all going through this but at least we can share solutions. Definitely try that EBT customer service number - several people have mentioned it works better than going through the county. And yes, it's ridiculous that we have to become system experts just to access our own benefits! I'm planning to go back to the county office tomorrow morning with a whole list of specific questions based on what everyone shared here. Please update us if you get yours resolved - I have a feeling we're all dealing with the same underlying system issue. Good luck!
This is happening to so many people lately! I went through this nightmare in March and it took almost 3 weeks to resolve. What finally worked for me was documenting EVERYTHING - every visit, every phone call, every worker's name - and then filing a formal complaint with the state. The key breakthrough came when I demanded to speak with an "EBT Systems Administrator" (not just a supervisor). These are specialized staff who can access the backend database and see technical flags that regular workers can't. Once I got to the right person, they found that my account had gotten stuck in some kind of automated fraud review loop. Also, while you're fighting this, make sure to request "immediate need" assistance - the county is required to provide emergency food vouchers when there's a system failure preventing access to your benefits. Don't let them tell you to "just wait" while your kids go hungry! Keep pushing - you deserve access to the benefits you're entitled to, and their system problems are NOT your fault!
Three weeks is insane but I'm glad you finally got it resolved! "EBT Systems Administrator" - that's a really specific title I never would have thought to ask for. The regular workers probably don't even know those people exist. And you're absolutely right about the "immediate need" assistance - I had no idea the county was required to provide emergency vouchers when their system fails. That's huge information! I'm definitely going to use that phrase tomorrow. Thank you for sharing your experience and for the reminder that this isn't our fault - it's so easy to feel like we're doing something wrong when really it's just their broken system.
Raúl Mora
Just want to add that if anyone is still struggling with getting through to customer service, try calling the EBT hotline early in the morning (like 8am) or late afternoon after 4pm - those tend to be less busy times. Also, if you have to visit your county office in person, many locations now allow you to schedule appointments online which saves hours of waiting. Check your county's website for their online scheduling system. I learned this the hard way after waiting 3 hours at the office only to be told I could have made an appointment! The whole EBT fraud prevention thing is definitely a necessary evil given how bad the skimming has gotten, but they really need to work on their communication with clients.
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Ava Martinez
•Thanks for the timing tips! I'm actually dealing with a similar situation right now where my card got flagged. I tried calling around 2pm yesterday and was on hold for over an hour before giving up. I'll definitely try calling first thing in the morning tomorrow. The online appointment scheduling is a game changer - I had no idea that was even an option! It's frustrating that they don't make these resources more visible when your card gets cancelled. Like you said, better communication would go a long way in making this process less stressful for people who are already dealing with food insecurity.
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Keisha Williams
This thread has been so helpful! I'm relatively new to CalFresh and had no idea about any of these issues or solutions. A few months ago I would have panicked if my card suddenly stopped working, but now I know about the mobile payment option and the fraud prevention system. It's reassuring to know there are workarounds while waiting for replacement cards. One thing I'm curious about - does anyone know if the new chip-enabled cards will completely eliminate the skimming problem, or will scammers just find new ways around it? Also wondering if the mobile payment option will become the primary way to use benefits in the future, kind of like how everything else is going digital these days.
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Sophie Footman
•Great questions! From what I've read, chip cards will significantly reduce skimming at card readers since they generate unique transaction codes each time, but scammers are always adapting their methods. The mobile payment option is definitely convenient and seems like the way things are heading - it's actually more secure than physical cards in many ways since it uses tokenization. I think we'll probably see a hybrid approach where both options remain available, especially since not everyone has smartphones or feels comfortable with digital payments. The important thing is having multiple ways to access our benefits so we're not stuck without food when issues arise like what happened to the original poster!
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