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i dont get why they make u wait so long when its obvious fraud??? like how would u buy food in nevada and california in the same hour lol. the whole system is messed up and they dont care about us. my friend had her benefits stolen twice and second time they accused HER of fraud and cut off her benefits for 6 months!!! be carful what u say to them
This is misinformation that could scare people from reporting legitimate theft. EBT theft investigations don't result in fraud accusations against the victim unless there's evidence they participated in the fraud. While the system has many problems, reporting theft won't get your benefits cut off. The second theft may have triggered additional security questions, but a 6-month disqualification only happens after an administrative hearing with evidence of intentional program violation. Please don't discourage people from reporting theft - it's the only way to get replacement benefits.
UPDATE: Called using that Claimyr service someone recommended below and FINALLY got through to a supervisor after trying for days! She said I qualify for emergency replacement benefits under AB 1168 and they can issue provisional benefits while investigating. Should have them within 3 business days! Also filed police report which will help the investigation. Going to food bank tomorrow to get through until replacement comes. THANK YOU all for advice - might have gone hungry for weeks without your help! Will update when benefits actually arrive.
So glad you got through! This is exactly why it's important to know your rights and keep advocating. Many caseworkers aren't fully trained on the newer EBT theft provisions. Make sure to document everything - names of who you spoke with, reference numbers, and follow up if the provisional benefits don't arrive as promised. And definitely change your PIN regularly going forward as a precaution.
UPDATE: I finally got through to my county worker! The EBT-2259 form wasn't on their website but the worker emailed it to me. I filled it out and submitted it along with the police report. They said I should get emergency replacement benefits within 3 business days since I have kids, then the full claim will be processed in 7-10 days. Thank you all for the advice - especially about mentioning the emergency situation with my kids. Will update again when I get the benefits back.
One more tip - when this happened to me, I started using the BenefitsCal app's "freeze card" feature. You can instantly freeze your EBT card after you use it each time, then unfreeze it only when you're at the store and ready to use it again. It's inconvenient but better than getting all your benefits stolen again.
Yes, P-EBT is completely different from CalFresh. P-EBT 4.0 is specifically for families with children who qualified for free/reduced school meals during the 2022-2023 school year AND who had COVID-related absences during that period. It's separate from regular CalFresh benefits. If your children meet those criteria, they should be getting cards, but the rollout is happening in phases through June 2025.
Update: I finally got through to someone at the P-EBT hotline! Apparently, our cards were mailed out last week and should arrive any day now. The rep said they're doing distribution based on the first letter of the child's last name within each county. My county is among the last batch. For anyone else still waiting, hang in there - they're definitely still sending them out.
UPDATE: I found the letter! You guys were right - it was about adding my nephew. The letter says I'll get an additional $110 for May (prorated since he moved in on the 12th) and starting June my regular amount will increase by $178 monthly. The additional May amount should be on my EBT card by the 20th. Thanks everyone for the help!!
Mei-Ling Chen
When I called about this last week they told me the cards were delayed because of a "printing issue" whatever that means. The whole system is so frustrating! Last year my daughter got a card but my son didn't even though they're at the same school with the same lunch program. Make it make sense!!!
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Ahooker-Equator
•omg same thing happnd to us last time!! got one for my oldest but not my youngest?? when i finally got someone on the phone they said he "wasnt in the system" whatever that means. ended up getting his card 3 months later with no explanation
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Abigail bergen
Thanks everyone for the helpful information. I called my kids' school this morning and they confirmed all student information was submitted to the P-EBT program in February. They said cards for our district should start arriving mid-April through May based on alphabetical order. I'll watch for the white envelope and make sure not to throw it out! Really appreciate all your help figuring this out.
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Lena Kowalski
•Great to hear you got some clarity! One more tip: when the cards arrive, activate them immediately. The P-EBT phone system can get overwhelmed when many cards arrive at once, and some people report waiting days to get through. Also, write down the card numbers and PINs somewhere safe after activation in case you need to report a lost card later.
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