Can't reach California CalFresh? Claimyr connects you to a live DSS agent in minutes.
Claimyr is a pay-as-you-go service. We do not charge a recurring subscription.
Using Claimyr will:
- Connect you to a human agent at the DSS
- Skip the long phone menu
- Call the correct department
- Redial until on hold
- Forward a call to your phone with reduced hold time
- Give you free callbacks if the DSS drops your call
If I could give 10 stars I would
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!
Really made a difference
Really made a difference, save me time and energy from going to a local office for making the call.
Worth not wasting your time calling for hours.
Was a bit nervous or untrusting at first, but my calls went thru. First time the wait was a bit long but their customer chat line on their page was helpful and put me at ease that I would receive my call. Today my call dropped because of EDD and Claimyr heard my concern on the same chat and another call was made within the hour.
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!
Consistent,frustration free, quality Service.
Used this service a couple times now. Before I'd call 200 times in less than a weak frustrated as can be. But using claimyr with a couple hours of waiting i was on the line with an representative or on hold. Dropped a couple times but each reconnected not long after and was mission accomplished, thanks to Claimyr.
IT WORKS!! Not a scam!
I tried for weeks to get thru to EDD PFL program with no luck. I gave this a try thinking it may be a scam. OMG! It worked and They got thru within an hour and my claim is going to finally get paid!! I upgraded to the $60 call. Best $60 spent!
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- DO post tips & tricks to help folks.
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Just to add some important information: If your benefits are stolen, California now has an expedited replacement process for households with seniors or children. Ask specifically for "EBT Theft Emergency Replacement" when you call. They're required to process these claims within 3 business days instead of the standard 10 days. This is part of the 2025 CalFresh Anti-Fraud Protection Act that went into effect in January. Also, always check that the card reader doesn't have a loose plastic piece over the actual slot. That's the most common type of skimmer. Give it a gentle tug before inserting your card.
I did the 'emergency replacement' thing and they STILL took almost 2 weeks! Is there any way to escalate when they miss their own deadlines? My kids were hungry and I had to borrow money from my sister.
Update: I just came from my local DPSS office and they have a new sign saying they CANNOT process more than 2 benefit theft claims per household per year now! When did this rule change??? The worker said there's been so much fraud that they had to put limits in place. I'm terrified of using my card anywhere now.
That's the new state policy as of March 2025, but there's an exception process for verified theft cases. If you can provide a police report that confirms the theft (not just reporting it, but where police verify fraud took place), they have to process additional claims. It's an extra step but important to know.
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my aunt went to a tasting thing at costco and when she wasn't looking someone took a pic of her card that was in her purse!! now she keeps it in one of those metal wallets lol
That's scary! Did she notice it happen or just found out when money was missing? I'm gonna be so paranoid now!
To answer your original question about transferring money out - unfortunately, that's not an option with CalFresh. These aren't like regular bank accounts where you can move funds between accounts. The benefits exist only on your EBT card. Your best protection is to: 1. Shop at major grocery stores when possible (they have better security) 2. Change your PIN through the EBT phone line right before AND after your benefits deposit day 3. Check your balance frequently through the official EBT app 4. Never click links from texts claiming to be about your benefits And if you ever suspect fraud, call the EBT customer service number AND your county office immediately.
Thanks for explaining this so clearly. I guess I'll just use most of my benefits early in the month and keep changing my PIN regularly. Still hate that we can't get help if something goes wrong though!
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Anyone know if the P-EBT amount is the same for all kids or does it vary by age? My 16yr old eats like three teenagers combined lol!
The P-EBT benefit amount is the same regardless of the child's age - currently $257 per eligible child for this issuance period. The amount is calculated based on a federal formula for average meal costs multiplied by the number of school days covered, not by individual food consumption. So unfortunately, your hungry teenager gets the same amount as a kindergartener!
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wait ur CalFresh benefits worked at Sams Club??? I thought u needed a membership for sams club? maybe thats how they knew it wasnt u using the card!
Sam's Club does accept EBT/CalFresh for eligible food items, and yes, you typically need a membership. However, this is irrelevant to the fraud case - someone either cloned the card or had the card number and PIN. The county will investigate the fraudulent transaction regardless of the store's membership policy.
make sure when u talk to the county office u specifically say the words "i need an emergency replacement of calfresh benefits due to household hardship" thats the magic phrase that gets them to speed up the process!! otherwise they will just put u on the normal timeline which can take forever
Thank you for this tip! I wrote it down so I remember to say exactly that when I call. Hoping this gets resolved quickly because we're already out of food.
Zara Shah
Update: After getting nowhere all day yesterday, I tried Claimyr this morning to get through to an actual person at the county (thanks for that tip!). Finally spoke with someone who knew what they were talking about. Apparently there's been a HUGE increase in EBT theft and they've updated their procedures. Here's what I had to do: 1. Filed police report online (got case #) 2. Filled out EBT-2259 form 3. Had to provide transaction details showing where benefits were used fraudulently 4. Submitted everything via the BenefitsCal portal AND in person 5. Requested emergency replacement benefits due to household hardship They're supposed to process it within 7-10 days. Meanwhile, they referred me to 3 food banks and gave me emergency vouchers good for $280 worth of groceries to use immediately. Still stressful but at least we have some food now. Will update when/if we get our benefits back!
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Nia Wilson
•Make sure you CALL EVERY DAY to check on status!!! They will "lose" your paperwork or claim they never received it. I had to resubmit mine TWICE before they actually processed it. The system is completely broken!!!
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NebulaNomad
Great job navigating this difficult situation! Those emergency vouchers should help in the meantime. Two more tips that might help others dealing with EBT theft: 1. Request a new EBT card immediately with a different number to prevent future theft 2. Once you get your replacement benefits, consider using the EBT card lock feature in the EBT mobile app - you can lock your card between uses to prevent unauthorized transactions Also, for anyone reading this thread in the future, California implemented new theft protection measures in late 2024, so you now have 90 days to report EBT theft (previously it was only 30 days). The county must process valid claims within 10 calendar days.
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Zara Shah
•Thank you so much! I just got a new card yesterday with a new number. I didn't know about the lock feature in the app - downloading it now. I'll definitely update once this is resolved to help others who might go through this.
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