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wait is P-EBT the same as calfresh? i thought they were different things? my neighbor said p-ebt is only for kids but im confused now
They're different programs that both provide food assistance. P-EBT is specifically for school-aged children who qualify for free or reduced-price school meals, and the benefits come periodically. CalFresh (California's SNAP program) is for low-income households of any composition, and benefits are issued monthly. You can receive both if you qualify for both. They might be loaded onto the same EBT card in some cases, which causes confusion.
just as an update i called yesterday and they finally answered! the lady said benefits for next phase are coming between feb 12-27 depending on the first letter of your last name. A-G is feb 12-15, H-M is feb 16-20, N-S is feb 21-24, and T-Z is feb 25-27. hope this helps someone!
That's exactly what I needed to know! Since our last name starts with W, we'll be in the last group. Thanks so much for sharing this!
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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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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.
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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?
Most food banks don't require documentation - just show up during their distribution hours. Some might ask for ID just to track unique visitors, but they generally don't turn anyone away. The 211 helpline can tell you exact hours and locations closest to you.
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.
SEE!!! This is exactly what I mean - you have to PUSH THEM or nothing happens!!! So glad you found someone who actually helped instead of just giving you the runaround!!! Please update us when you get your benefits back!!!
Zoe Kyriakidou
UPDATE: My benefits just loaded today (Feb 14th)! Looks like it really was just the system delay that @helpfulperson mentioned. So relieved! For anyone else in Sacramento County still waiting, check your balance again - yours might be coming through too.
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Jamal Brown
•just checked and mine loaded 2!! thx for the update!!
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Mei Zhang
Glad it worked out! Since we're on the topic, here's a reminder for everyone: always mark your calendar for these important CalFresh dates to avoid future issues: 1) Your specific benefit issuance date (when funds load each month) 2) Your SAR7 due date (6 months after certification/recertification) 3) Your annual recertification month Also, sign up for text/email alerts through BenefitsCal if you haven't already - they'll send reminders about upcoming deadlines so you don't miss anything important.
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Zoe Kyriakidou
•Great advice! I'm definitely going to set up those alerts and put these dates in my phone calendar. Don't want to go through this stress again.
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