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This thread really hits home for me - I just joined this community after my own EBT benefits got stolen last week. Lost $380 that was supposed to last my family the whole month, and like everyone else here, I'm getting the runaround from the county office. What's really eye-opening is reading about how widespread this problem is. I thought I was just unlucky, but it sounds like this is happening to people constantly! The fact that we have "once in a lifetime" reimbursement for something that's clearly a systemic security failure is absolutely ridiculous. I'm definitely going to try some of the protection tips mentioned here - especially only using my card at major grocery stores with cashiers and checking for loose card readers. But honestly, we shouldn't have to become security experts just to keep our food benefits safe. Count me in for any coordinated effort to contact representatives about this. Reading about AB-453 gives me some hope, but we clearly need to put more pressure on politicians to actually prioritize this issue. When families are going hungry because of preventable theft, that should be an emergency, not something to study for years while doing nothing. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences - it's awful that so many of us are dealing with this, but at least we're not alone.
@Anastasia Sokolov I m'so sorry you re'going through this too - losing $380 that was supposed to feed your family for the month is devastating. You re'definitely not alone, and unfortunately you re'right that this is way more common than it should be. I ve'been following this thread closely and it s'both heartbreaking and infuriating to see how many families are affected by this broken system. The once "in a lifetime policy" is particularly cruel when the theft is caused by the government s'own failure to provide basic security features. I m'absolutely on board with coordinating efforts to push for change. Maybe we could start by all contacting the same representatives about AB-453 within the same week? Sometimes concentrated pressure works better than scattered individual calls. We could also consider reaching out to local news stations - several people mentioned that media attention sometimes gets politicians to actually act. In the meantime, definitely set up those transaction alerts if you haven t'already. And don t'give up on the reimbursement process even though it s'frustrating - keep calling and documenting everything. Some people here have mentioned it takes months but they eventually got their benefits back. We shouldn t'have to fight this hard just to keep our food assistance safe, but since the system has failed us, at least we can support each other through it. Keep us posted on how your case goes!
I'm new to this community but unfortunately not new to this problem - my EBT card got skimmed at a corner store last month and I lost $425 in benefits. Reading through all these stories is both validating and heartbreaking. It's clear this isn't just bad luck affecting a few people, it's a massive systemic failure that's leaving families without food. What really struck me is learning about the "once in a lifetime" reimbursement policy. How is that even legal when the theft is happening because of the government's own outdated security system? It's like if your apartment landlord refused to fix broken locks and then told you "tough luck" when you got robbed twice. I'm definitely interested in joining any coordinated effort to push for AB-453 or other solutions. The idea of all of us contacting representatives during the same week sounds smart - maybe we could also share template letters or talking points to make it easier for people to participate? In the meantime, I've started following the safety tips mentioned here. I'm also going to look into that Claimyr service someone mentioned because I've been trying to reach my county office for weeks with no luck. It's ridiculous that we need a third-party service just to talk to the people who are supposed to help us, but here we are. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and advice. At least we know we're not fighting this alone.
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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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I went through something similar with my grandmother last year when her recertification got messed up due to Social Security income reporting issues. The $340 on her EBT card is absolutely safe to use - that money was already issued for previous months and legally belongs to her. The key thing is getting that appeal filed ASAP since she's already at 2 weeks. I'd also suggest having her contact the family who gave her the holiday bonus to get some kind of written confirmation that it was a one-time payment, not regular income. Even a simple email or note on letterhead would help her case tremendously. Good luck to your mom!
Thank you so much! That's really reassuring to hear from someone who went through the same thing. My mom is actually planning to ask the family for a letter today when she goes to clean their house. Hopefully they'll be understanding about it. It's frustrating that something as simple as a holiday bonus could cause all this trouble, but at least now we know exactly what steps to take. Really appreciate everyone's help on this thread!
I'm dealing with a similar situation right now! My recertification is pending and I've been so worried about what happens if there's any issues. Reading everyone's responses here is really helpful - I didn't know that existing EBT balances stay on the card even after denial. Also the tip about "non-recurring lump sum payment" terminology is gold! I screenshot that for my own files. Hope your mom's appeal goes smoothly and she gets her benefits restored quickly. The fact that it was just a holiday bonus should definitely work in her favor since that's clearly not regular income.
Thanks for sharing your experience! It's so stressful when you're waiting on recertification - I'm glad this thread could help ease some of your worries. The whole process can be really confusing and it's nice to see people sharing practical tips. Definitely save that "non-recurring lump sum payment" phrase - sounds like it could be a game changer for situations like this. Wishing you luck with your pending recertification too! Hopefully it goes through without any issues.
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Update: I took everyone's advice and decided not to risk the fax route. I went to my sister's house to use her internet and submitted through BenefitsCal. It was actually easier than I expected! The website even gave me a confirmation number and email. Thanks everyone for your help - definitely saved me from potential benefit delays!
That's great news! Online submission is definitely the most reliable method these days. Make sure to check your BenefitsCal account in about a week to see if they need any additional verification documents from you. Glad it worked out!
So glad you got it submitted! I was stressing reading your original post because I know how nerve-wracking those deadlines can be. Online really is the way to go when possible - faster processing and you get that instant confirmation. Hope your recertification goes smoothly and your benefits continue without any hiccups!
Awesome that you got it submitted online! Just wanted to add for anyone else reading this thread - if you're ever in a similar situation where your home internet is unreliable, most public libraries offer free computer and internet access. They usually have printers too if you need to print confirmation pages. Many libraries also have staff who can help you navigate government websites if you're not super tech-savvy. It's another good backup option besides going to family/friends' houses!
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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