my cousin works for calfresh in san diego county and she told me they got specific instructions not to count that tax refund thing for any benefits including calfresh. so your definitely fine dont worry about it

This whole thread has been so helpful! I'm in a similar situation - got my Middle Class Tax Refund ($600) in January and have been losing sleep over whether to report it. Based on what everyone's saying, especially @Dallas Villalobos with the detailed explanations, it sounds like we're all good. I already used mine for groceries and utilities anyway. It's just frustrating that there's no clear communication from the county about these things when they happen. Like why didn't they send out a notice saying "hey, this new tax refund doesn't count for benefits"? Would save everyone so much stress!

Has anyone tried the chip-enabled EBT cards? My worker mentioned California is slowly rolling them out to help prevent skimming. I'm on the waitlist but they said it could be months before I get one in my county.

This is absolutely infuriating! I'm a single mom with two kids and had my benefits stolen twice in the last 5 months - $467 in December and $421 just last month. The stress of not knowing if your food money will be there when you need it is unbearable. I've been following some of the advice here - downloaded the BenefitsCal app to freeze my card between uses, joined the Facebook group someone mentioned, and I'm definitely going to file for that administrative hearing. The fact that we have to become experts on federal regulations and jump through all these hoops just to feed our families is ridiculous. What really gets me is how the county workers act like WE'RE the problem when we report theft. Like we're trying to scam the system instead of being victims of actual criminals. The whole system needs an overhaul, and I'm ready to fight for it. Count me in for any coordinated media outreach or legal action!

UPDATE: I just got off the phone with the EBT Fraud Department (finally!) and asked specifically about San Bernardino skimming cases. The representative told me they're seeing a HUGE spike in fraud cases from that area - apparently there's an organized group installing skimmers at certain stores. She actually gave me some helpful info: They're expediting claims for victims of this specific fraud ring, and are working with USDA on a special process. Ask your caseworker to check if your case matches the "San Bernardino County January 2025 Skimming Pattern" in their system. If it does, they can fast-track your replacement! I'm going to try this with my claim too since mine happened in a neighboring area. Will let you know if it works!

I'm so sorry this happened to you! EBT fraud is becoming such a widespread problem. As someone who works in social services, I want to add a few important points to what others have shared: 1. Document EVERYTHING - take photos of your transaction history, save receipts from where you actually were when the fraud occurred, and keep records of all your phone calls with EBT customer service. 2. When you file the CF 303 form, you can actually submit it online through your county's portal in most cases - you don't necessarily need to go in person. Check your county's website or call to confirm. 3. If your initial claim gets denied (which unfortunately happens sometimes), don't give up! You have the right to appeal and request a hearing. Many legitimate claims get approved on appeal. 4. While waiting for resolution, ask your caseworker about emergency food assistance programs. Some counties have specific protocols for EBT theft victims. The good news is that California's replacement policy is actually better than many states. Stay persistent and keep following up. Your kids deserve to eat and you deserve to get your stolen benefits back!

Update: Got my daughter's card today! It was loaded with $227 just like the others. The activation process was super simple - just called the number on the back and entered her birthday and our zip code. Now just waiting on my son's card (his name starts with R) which I'm guessing will come next week based on the pattern I'm seeing.

Just wanted to share my experience - I'm also in San Bernardino County and got my first P-EBT 4.0 card last week for my youngest (name starts with E). Still waiting on cards for my other two kids whose names start with H and S. The distribution definitely seems random within our county, but good to hear from everyone that it's one lump sum payment. Has anyone had issues with stores not accepting the cards? Want to make sure I can use it at our usual grocery store when the other cards arrive.

Update? Were you able to get through to PG&E or get any emergency food assistance? This happened to me last year (though it was with my car insurance, not PG&E) and I ended up having to wait 7 business days for the refund. The most effective thing was filing a complaint with the Department of Insurance, which might be different for utilities. For me, going to the local CalFresh office in person worked better than calling - they provided a one-time emergency supplement once I showed them my bank statement. Hope you got this resolved!

I'm so glad you're making progress with this! That's exactly what I was hoping would happen with the Claimyr service - it really does help cut through PG&E's phone maze. Three things I'd suggest for your CalFresh office visit tomorrow: 1) Bring printed bank statements showing both the unauthorized withdrawal and your current low balance, 2) Take a photo of your PG&E account showing the credit balance (proves it was their error), and 3) Ask specifically for a "household emergency supplement" rather than just "emergency benefits" - the exact terminology can sometimes make a difference with county workers. Also, if the first worker you speak with says no, politely ask to speak with a supervisor. Different workers sometimes interpret the emergency rules differently. Really hoping you get approved for the supplement - keep us posted!