my friend works at the grocery store and she says they find skimmers on their card readers like once a month now!!! the thieves put them on super early in the morning when the store first opens and its hard to notice unless ur looking for it. she said ebt cards r targeted cause they dont have the same protections as regular bank cards

OK so I just got back from the police station and filed a report. The officer said they've had DOZENS of similar cases reported in our county over the last few months! So clearly this is a widespread issue! What's weird is when I asked if they're investigating county employees, he got really awkward and just said "we're looking at all possibilities" but wouldn't give me a straight answer. Feels like they're avoiding pointing fingers at the county! I'm going to call the EBT customer service tomorrow, but based on your experiences it sounds like I'll be fighting for weeks to get my money back. This is so frustrating when my kids are going hungry NOW. At least I know I'm not alone or crazy. Thank you all for the advice and support.

does anyone know if the grocery store atms r safer??? i use the one at food 4 less all the time

Just to clarify an important point that's causing confusion: This mainly affects EBT cash benefits (like CalWORKs), not your food benefits portion of CalFresh. Food benefits can only be used for food purchases, not ATM withdrawals. If you only receive food benefits through CalFresh (and not cash aid), you're still vulnerable at point-of-sale terminals in stores, but not from ATM skimmers. Be cautious when using your EBT card anywhere, but understand which benefits you have and how they can be accessed.

my cousin works for calfresh and she says theyre getting TONS of theft reports lately. some scammers are using skimming devices at stores to steal card info. did u use ur card at any sketchy stores recently? not blaming u at all just wondering how they couldve gotten ur info

One more thing - if they delay processing your replacement request, ask for an "Expedited State Hearing." You have the right to an expedited hearing when your household is experiencing an emergency. The hearing must be scheduled within 5 working days of your request. Also, if you're really in a bind waiting for benefits to be restored, you can contact 211 (just dial 2-1-1 on your phone) for immediate emergency food assistance. They can connect you with programs that provide same-day food help. Hope this gets resolved quickly for you and your family!

Just to clarify one thing - P-EBT is related to but separate from CalFresh. While both provide food assistance, P-EBT is specifically for families with children who would receive free or reduced-price meals at school. For the current distribution, benefits are being loaded retroactively, so when your card arrives, it should have benefits for multiple months already loaded (typically from August 2024 onward). The total benefit amount varies based on your school's learning model this year. If you're experiencing immediate food needs while waiting for your P-EBT card, please consider these options: 1. Contact your local food bank 2. Check if you qualify for emergency CalFresh benefits 3. Reach out to your child's school - many have emergency food programs Don't hesitate to use these resources - that's what they're there for!

mine just came today!!!! check your mail everyone!!

I just went through recertification last week and they told me the emergency allotments are going to continue until at least March 2026, which is good news! For October specifically, my worker said they're staggering the releases to avoid overwhelming the system. She also mentioned they're going to eventually combine regular and emergency benefits into one payment again, but not until January at the earliest.

i always check the EBT app it tells u exactly when ur getting paid both regular and emergency amounts