UPDATE: I wanted to thank everyone for their advice! I used Claimyr to finally get through to a supervisor at the county office, and they were actually really helpful once I mentioned the new guidance from March 2025 and Form CF 303. We submitted all the documentation showing my mom was at her doctor's appointment in California when the money was withdrawn in Arizona. They're expediting her replacement benefits and should have them loaded within 3 business days! The supervisor said these cases are happening a lot and they're working on better skimmer detection at out-of-state retailers. For anyone else dealing with this, definitely mention ACL 25-32 and request expedited replacement!

So glad to hear you got this resolved quickly! This is exactly why community knowledge sharing is so important - the county workers don't always volunteer information about new policies or expedited processes. Your experience will definitely help other families dealing with EBT theft. It's encouraging that the supervisor acknowledged this is a widespread problem they're actively working on. Hopefully they can get better protections in place soon so seniors like your mom don't have to go through this stress in the first place.

This is incredibly helpful! I just called my kids' school and they're going to send home extra weekend meal packs for families affected by the delay. For anyone reading this later - my benefits did eventually come through late on February 2nd, so there's hope!

Just wanted to share my experience for anyone still dealing with this - I'm in Sacramento County and my benefits finally loaded this morning (Feb 3rd). What really helped was calling the county office and specifically asking them to check if my case got flagged during the BenefitsCal migration. Turns out they needed me to re-verify my address even though I've lived in the same place for 3 years! The worker was able to clear it immediately over the phone once I confirmed my address. If you're still waiting, definitely ask them to check for any verification flags on your account - sometimes it's something simple they can fix right away.

Just checking back - have you been able to see the reissued benefits in your account yet? Also, remember that after you get your new card and activate it, you should create a PIN that's different from your old one. And never share your PIN with anyone or enter it if someone is watching. Unfortunately, EBT skimming has increased by about 35% in 2025 compared to previous years.

That's such great news that your benefits showed up! I went through this same nightmare about 6 months ago. One thing I learned - once you get your new card and activate it, I'd recommend checking a few different ATMs or stores to make sure the card is working properly before doing a big grocery run. Sometimes there can be glitches with the new card even after activation. Also, if you haven't already, document everything (dates, case numbers, who you spoke with) in case you need to follow up. The whole process is so stressful but it sounds like you're almost through it!

UPDATE: You all were right!!! I went through ALL my papers last night and found that I actually have TWO separate overpayments - one for CalFresh ($1,475) and another for CalWORKs ($2,275). They sent separate notices but they looked so similar I thought it was just duplicate papers about the same thing! I'm still going to request a fair hearing because they never explained they were taking from all these different sources, and I think they're taking more than they should legally be allowed to. Thank you all so much for your help!!!

So glad you figured it out! That's exactly what happened to me too - the notices look almost identical and it's so confusing. You're absolutely doing the right thing requesting the fair hearing. Even with two separate overpayments, they still need to follow the collection limits for each program and can't just take whatever they want. Make sure to mention in your hearing that they never clearly explained you had two different overpayments - that lack of clear communication is a real problem. Also document how much they're taking total from all sources so you can show if it's creating undue hardship. Good luck with your hearing!

anyone know if the benefit expires? i still have some left from the last payment and I worry itll disappear?

Just wanted to add my experience for anyone still confused about this! I got my P-EBT card in February with about $900 for my one child. Like others said, it's definitely NOT monthly - I made that mistake too at first and kept checking my balance expecting more money lol. The approval letter actually did have the dates covered if you look closely (mine was buried in the small print). It covered from August through December 2024 for days my daughter was out sick or during winter break when she couldn't get her free lunch at school. One tip: keep track of your child's absences and school closure days because that helps you understand what future P-EBT payments might cover. And definitely use that Claimyr service someone mentioned if you need to call - the regular hotline is impossible to get through to!