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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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An incredibly helpful service
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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- DO post questions about your issues.
- DO answer questions and support each other.
- DO post tips & tricks to help folks.
- DO NOT post call problems here - there is a support tab at the top for that :)
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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.
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.
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.
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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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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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!
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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.
Miguel Castro
UPDATE: Thank you everyone for your help! I went to my county office this morning and got my EBT card. There was a bit of a line but once I got to the window, it only took about 10 minutes. They said my card had been mailed out but probably got lost. The benefits were already loaded and I set up my PIN right there. So relieved I went before the holiday closure!
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LunarEclipse
•Great news!! Glad you got it sorted out before the holiday!
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NebulaNinja
So glad you got your card! This is exactly why I always recommend going in person when there are delays. The mail system for EBT cards seems to have issues pretty frequently. Thanks for updating us - it's really helpful for others who might be in the same situation to know that going to the office works and doesn't take too long once you get to the window.
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PrinceJoe
•This is such a relief to hear! I'm new to this community and CalFresh, and reading about all these mail delays was making me nervous about my own application. It's really reassuring to know that going to the office is a reliable backup option. Thanks for sharing your experience - it definitely helps newcomers like me understand what to expect and what our options are if things don't go smoothly with the mail delivery.
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