UPDATE: After using that Claimyr service someone recommended, I finally got through to a real person at my county office! They're expediting my claim and said I should have emergency replacement benefits loaded onto a new card within 3 business days. The worker also told me they've had a huge spike in these fraud cases in the last 2 months - apparently there's an organized ring targeting EBT cards throughout California. I've filed a police report too, and they told me to keep checking my transaction history because sometimes the thieves will make several smaller withdrawals over time rather than taking all the benefits at once. Thanks everyone for your help and advice during this nightmare situation. If anyone else goes through this, definitely emphasize that you have children when requesting expedited replacement benefits.

I'm so sorry this happened to you! This is becoming a huge problem and it's awful that families are being left without food while waiting for investigations. One thing I wanted to add - if you're having trouble reaching your county worker even with the phone service, you can also try going to the local office in person. Sometimes they have walk-in hours for emergencies like this. Also, some counties have online portals where you can submit urgent requests that might get faster attention than the phone lines. Another tip for everyone - I started taking photos of card readers before I use them. If something looks off or feels loose when you insert your card, don't use it. Better safe than sorry with all these skimmers going around. Really glad to hear you're getting emergency benefits soon! Keep us updated on how the investigation goes.

UPDATE: I wanted to let everyone know what happened in case it helps someone else. I finally got through to my county worker yesterday (took forever!) and submitted the police report and CF 303 form. They approved emergency replacement benefits that will be loaded onto my new card as soon as I receive it (should arrive tomorrow). The worker said they're seeing dozens of these cases every week now. Thanks everyone for your help! I'm still angry this happened but at least my kids won't go hungry now. And I'm definitely changing my PIN regularly from now on.

This is such important information to share! I'm glad Alice was able to get her benefits restored quickly. For anyone else dealing with EBT theft, I'd also recommend covering your PIN when entering it at stores and checking your balance regularly through the ConnectEBT app. Some stores have been better about checking their card readers for skimmers, but it's still happening way too often. The fact that dozens of cases are being reported weekly shows this is becoming a real crisis for families relying on CalFresh benefits.

Just remember that P-EBT balances expire after a certain period (I think it's something like 274 days from when they're issued) so make sure to use them before they disappear! I lost about $300 last year because I forgot about some funds on my kids' cards.

For road trips with P-EBT, I've found it really helpful to plan grocery stops at larger chain stores like Safeway, Kroger, or even Walmart since they're usually easy to find along highways and accept EBT. You can grab things like individual bags of chips, crackers, string cheese, apples, bananas, and juice boxes - stuff that doesn't need refrigeration and is easy for kids to eat in the car. I also recommend checking if your route goes through any areas with WinCo or other budget grocery stores since you can stretch those P-EBT dollars further there. Safe travels!

I wanted to add one more resource that might help - the San Diego Food Bank has a Senior Food Rescue program where they deliver fresh produce and pantry items directly to seniors who have transportation challenges. You can call them at (858) 527-1419 to see if you qualify. They also partner with some senior housing complexes to do mobile food distributions. Also, if you're comfortable with technology, there's an app called "FlashFood" that shows discounted groceries at stores near you - sometimes up to 50% off items that are close to their sell-by date but still perfectly good. It's helped me stretch my food budget when money is tight. You can pay with your EBT card at participating stores. Keep us updated on how the recertification goes - I'm rooting for you to get those medical deductions applied!

I'm a senior food advocate and wanted to add a few more resources that might help you stretch your benefits: 1. **Senior Gleaning Programs** - Many farms in North County San Diego let seniors pick leftover produce for free after harvest. Contact the San Diego County Farm Bureau at (760) 745-3023 for current opportunities. 2. **WIC Senior Farmers Market Program** - If you're not already enrolled, this gives you additional coupons ($20-40 per season) specifically for fresh produce at farmers markets. It's separate from CalFresh. 3. **Food 4 Less discount days** - Many locations offer 10% senior discounts on Wednesdays, and they accept EBT. Combined with sales, this can really help your $47 go further. 4. **Community fridges** - There are several "blessing boxes" and community fridges around San Diego where people leave free food. The Little Free Pantry map shows locations near you. Regarding your medical expenses - $320/month should definitely increase your benefits significantly! When you call for recertification, also ask if you qualify for "expedited processing" since you're a senior with very low benefits. This can speed up the review process. You're doing great by reaching out for help - that takes courage. The combination of all these resources should make a real difference in your food security.

lol i never answer numbers i dont know anyway, if its important theyll leave a message or send a letter. but yea thats the real number on the back of my card too

I've been on CalFresh for about 2 years and this would be my first call from them too. Reading through everyone's responses, it sounds like they're doing more outreach calls lately which is actually kind of nice? I always stress about missing deadlines so a courtesy reminder call would be helpful. Definitely going to follow the advice here and call the number from my card directly instead of calling back the number from my phone history. Better safe than sorry with all these scams going around. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences!