fyi my neighbor works for the school district and she said if u got p-ebt before u should get the new one at the same card they dont send new ones unless u never had one before

That's partially correct. If you received P-EBT 2.0 benefits, the P-EBT 3.0 benefits will be loaded onto the same card. However, families who only received P-EBT 1.0 (from the 2019-2020 school year) will receive a new card for P-EBT 3.0. It's always good to keep your previous P-EBT cards just in case.

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.

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.

not to be off topic but how do i apply for p-ebt for my 3yr old? we get calfresh but nobody ever told us about p-ebt for little kids

Update: Called my daughter's Head Start program this morning and they confirmed they're still participating in the food program this year. The director said several other parents have been asking about P-EBT too, and she thinks the cards are just delayed. She suggested waiting until the end of May before following up with the county. Thanks everyone for your help!

has anyone noticed that the EBTedge app sometimes logs you out randomly?? happened to me twice last month and i panicked thinking my account was hacked lol. but ya the lock feature is good, i use it all the time. btw i heard they're gonna upgrade the actual EBT cards soon to have chips like regular credit cards which should help with the skimming problem

Quick update on the chip card situation since it was mentioned - California is indeed planning to roll out chip-enabled EBT cards, but the timeline has been pushed to late 2025 according to the latest CDSS updates. The chip technology will significantly reduce skimming risk, but until then, the app's lock feature is your best protection. To answer the original poster's question about notifications - EBTedge doesn't have automatic deposit notifications yet, but you can set calendar reminders for your issuance date. Some users have reported success with setting up banking apps like Mint to monitor their EBT account and notify them of balance changes, though this varies by county integration. One final tip: when you unlock your card to shop, consider only unlocking it at the register right before you pay, then immediately locking it again after the transaction is approved. This minimizes the window of vulnerability.

DONT FORGET TO ASK FOR EXPEDITED PROCESSING!!! They won't offer it unless you specifically say your family has NO FOOD and NO MONEY to buy any! I had to literally tell them my kids were going hungry before they marked my claim as "priority" - the system is designed to make you give up!!!

One additional suggestion - if you have the transaction details showing the suspicious location, print that out to include with your police report. Also, when you file the report, make sure it lists "EBT fraud/theft" specifically, as some officers may not be familiar with the proper categorization. This helps ensure your claim meets all requirements for replacement. Most counties are processing these claims faster now (often within 5-7 business days) due to the new legislation, but having complete documentation speeds things up.