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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!
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Really made a difference, save me time and energy from going to a local office for making the call.
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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!
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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.
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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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This happened to my sister too!!! She never got her benefits back tho cuz she waited too long to report it!! Make sure u do the police report ASAP!! There's like a 30 day window or something
The reporting window for P-EBT theft is actually 90 days from discovery, not 30. The important distinction is that the clock starts when you discover the theft, not when it occurred. So the original poster should still be well within the reporting window.
UPDATE: I filed the police report this morning (they gave me a case number) and finally got through to P-EBT customer service using that Claimyr service someone suggested. The rep confirmed I need to submit Form PEBT-10 with the police report number and proof of my current address. She said processing takes around 2-3 months but the full benefit amount ($1,465) should be replaced if my claim is approved. Thanks everyone for the guidance - will update again when I hear something!
so glad u got thru to them!! did they say anything about if the person who stole ur benefits will get in trouble??
The P-EBT rep said they don't handle the legal side of things directly, but the police report gets forwarded to a benefits fraud investigation unit. The officer I talked to at the police station said these cases are prosecuted when they have clear evidence of who did it (like if it was a specific person at my old address). Fingers crossed they figure it out AND I get the benefits replaced!
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THIS IS WHY THE SYSTEM IS BROKEN!!! They never properly communicate about benefits. They expect people to magically know which programs they qualify for and how to apply. Then when you try to call, you're stuck in an endless hold loop. I've been on CalFresh for 5 years and STILL don't understand half the programs. The EBT website is from 1995 I swear!!
seriously!! and every county has different rules and systems too. my friend in alameda county has a totally different experience than me in san diego.
One important thing to understand is that California has residency requirements for most benefit programs. For the Golden State Stimulus specifically, you needed to be a California resident for more than half of the 2020 tax year. Since you moved in June, that's right at the halfway mark, and it would depend on exactly which date in June you established residency. For CalFresh eligibility, residency isn't about how long you've lived in California but simply that you currently live here. The emergency allotments that were added during COVID would have been applied automatically to your EBT card if you were receiving CalFresh at that time. If you have specific questions about your eligibility for past benefits, I'd recommend reaching out to your county CalFresh office with your case number ready. They can see your specific history and eligibility in their system.
Thanks for this thorough explanation. I moved on June 15th, so I guess that's why I missed out on the Golden State Stimulus. I didn't start receiving CalFresh until 2022, so I missed the emergency allotments too. At least now I understand why!
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Update: My 7yo's 4.0 supplement just posted to our EBT card this morning! So I guess they really are doing it in batches like everyone said. Thanks for the reassurance - I was getting worried for nothing.
Glad to hear it was resolved without you having to contact the county! This is consistent with what we're seeing across California - the distributions are happening in waves but most eligible children should receive their benefits by the second week of June. For anyone else checking this thread with similar concerns, I recommend waiting 14 days before contacting your county office.
Lucky you!!! Still nothing for my 7yo. Been checking constantly. Might try that Claimyr thing someone mentioned because I STILL can't get through on the county line. So tired of this system.
speaking of the 4.0 benefits, does anyone know if summer school counts for getting the summer supplements? my oldest is doing summer school this year and im wondering if she'll get the extra EBT benefits for july/august too
Yes, summer school participation does qualify for the Summer EBT program. Make sure you've indicated on your most recent SAR7 or recertification that your child is enrolled in summer educational programs. The summer benefits are separate from the 4.0 supplement and should be automatically added if your case information is current. The summer program provides approximately $125 per eligible child per summer month for 2025.
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I made this EXACT mistake last year and it was so embarrassing!!! Was at Denny's with my kids, tried to use my P-EBT card since my regular CalFresh was low, and it got declined. The waitress told me "you can't use WELFARE here" really loud and everyone stared at us. I wanted to tell her actually my REGULAR EBT would work just fine there but I was too mortified. Now I keep the cards in separate wallet sections so I don't mix them up. But yeah, P-EBT = groceries only, regular CalFresh = both groceries AND restaurants (if you qualify for RMP).
Ugh, I'm so sorry that happened to you! That's exactly what I was worried about - the embarrassment factor. Thanks for the tip about keeping the cards separate. I'm going to do that too.
stupid question maybe but why cant they just make the rules the same for both cards?? its confusing when they work different
It's actually because they're funded by different federal programs with different purposes. Regular CalFresh (SNAP) has the Restaurant Meals Program exception that was created specifically for vulnerable populations who might struggle to prepare meals. P-EBT was created under pandemic legislation specifically to replace school meals children would have received, so it follows the standard SNAP rules without exceptions. I agree it would be less confusing if they worked the same way!
Yara Khalil
my friend who works for the county says theres talk about inflation increases to calfresh coming soon maybe next years benefits will go up alittle fingers crossed
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Paolo Esposito
•I'll believe that when I see it! They always TALK about helping but then nothing happens! Meanwhile grocery prices keep going UP!
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LunarEclipse
Just to clarify something important - your regular CalFresh benefits DO increase each year with the cost of living adjustment (COLA). This usually happens in October. Last October (2024), benefits increased by about 3%. While this doesn't fully cover inflation for many families, there is an automatic annual adjustment. And yes, definitely report your rent increase - shelter costs are a major factor in benefit calculation.
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Zainab Ibrahim
•I had no idea benefits increase automatically each year, even a little bit helps. I'm going to report my rent increase tomorrow and see if that helps my situation. Thanks for all the information, everyone!
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