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I understand the concern, but I should mention that this approach isn't recommended for CalFresh/SNAP benefits. Unlike cash benefits, CalFresh cannot be withdrawn as cash - it can only be used to purchase eligible food items directly. Also, keeping cash at home comes with its own security risks. Using the card as intended but with proper security measures (monthly PIN changes, using at reputable retailers) offers the best balance of security and proper benefit usage.
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
I hope you get your benefits back quickly! My card was skimmed at a grocery store last year and it was so stressful. I ended up having to go to a food bank while waiting for the replacement. If you need emergency food, call 211 - they can connect you with resources while you wait for the reimbursement.
Thank you so much for the food bank suggestion. I've never been to one before but might need to check it out if this takes the full 10 days. Do they usually require any documentation of need?
UPDATE: I called the EBT customer service line this morning and explained my situation. They transferred me to a theft specialist who said they could expedite my case since I have children in the household. She said I should see the funds back in my account within 3-5 business days instead of 10! I also went ahead and filed a police report online just to have it documented. Thank you all for your helpful advice - I'll update again when I get my benefits back!
That's great news! Filing the police report was a smart move - it creates an official record that can help if there are any issues with your claim. Make sure to save the police report number in case the EBT office asks for it later.
The whole program is a scam to make us dependent on government handouts. They deliberately make it confusing so people give up applying. My sister works in a school and says half the cards never even reach families because they get lost in the mail or sent to old addresses. They should just increase regular CalFresh benefits instead of creating these complicated new programs every year that barely work.
P-EBT was actually created as an emergency program during COVID to ensure children who normally received meals at school could still access food when schools were closed. It's since been extended to help address ongoing food insecurity. The program has actually been quite successful overall, distributing over $2.2 billion in food assistance to California children in previous phases. The implementation certainly has room for improvement, but the program itself has helped millions of families put food on the table. For families who don't qualify for regular CalFresh (due to income limits), P-EBT is often their only food assistance option.
Update: I finally got through to someone helpful! Called the P-EBT specific number (877-328-9677) that was suggested here and after waiting about 45 minutes, I spoke with someone who actually knew what they were talking about. She confirmed my kids ARE in the system and eligible. The cards for our county are being mailed out next week! The three categories thing was just about how they're prioritizing card distribution. She also said to make sure our address is updated in both the school system AND on the ca.p-ebt.org portal. For anyone else dealing with this confusion, definitely use the P-EBT specific number instead of the regular CalFresh line. The regular CalFresh workers don't seem to have accurate info about P-EBT at all!
Great news! I'm so glad you got accurate information. This is exactly why I suggested the dedicated P-EBT line - they have direct access to the P-EBT database and actual training on the program. Regular CalFresh workers are only trained on SNAP/CalFresh benefits and often give incorrect information about P-EBT. Make sure to activate the cards as soon as you receive them. The benefits don't expire for at least a year, so you can use them gradually if needed.
Keisha Jackson
Sorry, didn't mean to ask something that gets asked all the time! I'm new to all this and my worker didn't really explain much when I got approved - just sent a letter with my benefit amount.
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QuantumLeap
Not your fault. I'm just frustrated with the system. They should give clear information to new applicants instead of leaving everyone confused.
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