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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.
Worth not wasting your time calling for hours.
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!
Consistent,frustration free, quality Service.
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.
IT WORKS!! Not a scam!
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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Has anyone heard of class action lawsuit?? I'm seeing this happen to SO MANY people now with EBT cards and the state isn't doing enough to protect us! These cards don't even have chip technology! My friend who works at a bank said they have WAY better fraud protection on regular debit cards than we get on EBT. It's discrimination against poor people if you ask me!!! We deserve the same protection as everyone else!!!
i heard california is supposed to be upgrading the ebt cards soon to make them more secure but who knows when thatll actually happen lol
FINAL UPDATE: It took almost 4 weeks, but I finally got my benefits back today! They refunded the full $785 after completing their investigation. The worker said they confirmed it was fraud based on the transaction location and the fact that multiple other people had their cards compromised at the same store. For anyone else this happens to - keep calling and checking the status of your claim weekly. I had to submit the police report and a written statement about where I was when the transactions happened. So relieved this is finally resolved. Thank you all for your help and support through this nightmare!
That's great news! I'm glad they restored your benefits. For future protection, remember to: 1. Change your PIN regularly 2. Check your balance frequently 3. Set up transaction alerts 4. Only use your card at major grocery stores 5. Cover the keypad when entering your PIN Unfortunately, EBT theft is becoming more common, but the counties are getting better at resolving these cases as they learn more about the patterns.
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its rlly stupid we cant choose our own banks 4 benefits i mean its OUR money right?? sorry bout ur card gettin stolen thats happened to me 2x already this year! now i transfer my calfresh to my cashapp as soon as it hits my EBT. u cant do that with ALL benefits but works for some
I need to correct this information. You CANNOT transfer CalFresh (food benefits) to Cash App or any other account - that's actually not possible with food benefits, only with cash aid programs like CalWORKs. CalFresh benefits can only be used for eligible food purchases directly with the EBT card. Attempting to convert CalFresh to cash through any method could result in program violations and potential loss of benefits. Please be careful about this distinction.
Update: I finally got through to someone at the county office! They're processing my replacement benefits now and said I should get them within 10 days. They also told me to file a police report for the card skimming if I haven't already (I didn't know I needed to do that). For anyone else dealing with this - keep calling and specifically ask for the "EBT Coordinator" or a supervisor. Thanks everyone for the advice!
That's great news! Glad you're getting it resolved. Did they say if the police report will speed things up? I never did one when it happened to me.
They said the police report isn't required but can help if there's any question about the fraud. I'm going to file one just in case. The worker also showed me how to set up text alerts for whenever my card is used so I can catch fraud faster in the future.
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I worked for a county office before retiring last year, and it's unfortunately common for workers not to explain the dual process. This happens because county workers handle eligibility and benefits, but EBT card issues are managed by a separate contracted company. One thing I always told my clients: when you file a theft claim, ask for "expedited processing" specifically using those words, and cite "hardship due to household with children." This terminology triggers specific protocols that can speed up your claim. Also, submit a written statement to your worker (email works) stating that you were not properly informed of the complete process for reporting EBT theft. This creates a record that may help if there are delays in processing your claim.
Thank you for this insider information! I'll definitely use the exact phrase "expedited processing" and mention "hardship due to household with children." And I'll send an email tonight documenting everything that's happened so far. Really appreciate your help!
UPDATE: I called the EBT fraud line this morning using all the advice from this thread. Got a much nicer person who helped me file the claim properly. They gave me a claim number starting with CA-2530. Called my worker right after and gave her the number. She said they can issue emergency benefits for my kids within 3 business days while the full claim is processed! THANK YOU everyone for your help! I was ready to give up yesterday.
That's great news! So glad you were able to get this resolved and that they're issuing emergency benefits. This is exactly why it's so important to know the right terminology and process. Please keep us updated on how long it takes to get the full amount replaced.
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The confusion comes from two different programs that you might be eligible for: 1. Standard CalFresh benefits - can be used for all eligible food items including produce 2. California Fruit and Vegetable EBT Pilot - this program is active in certain counties and gives qualifying households (especially those with children) additional funds specifically for fruits and vegetables If you were notified about extra produce benefits, you're likely in a pilot county. The extra amount (typically $55-65/month in 2025) is automatically added to your EBT card. When you purchase qualifying fruits and vegetables, the system will automatically use the special produce funds first before touching your regular CalFresh balance. The easiest way to check if you have this benefit is to look at your last EBT receipt - it will show if some of your purchase came from the produce bonus funds. You can also check your remaining balances by calling the EBT customer service number on the back of your card and it will tell you both balances separately.
This is so helpful! I checked my approval letter again and it does mention being part of the California Fruit and Vegetable EBT Pilot. I'll look at my receipt next time I shop. Can I also see the separate balances on the EBT app or just by calling?
The newest version of the California EBT app (updated in late 2024) should show both balances separately. If you're not seeing it, try updating the app! You can also check through the BenefitsCal portal in the 'EBT Account' section.
do u need to buy organic??? cuz thats way more $$$ i cant afford that even with ebt
No, you don't need to buy organic! Any fruits and vegetables qualify - fresh, frozen, canned, conventional, or organic. Buy whatever fits your budget. The important thing is just getting more fruits and vegetables in your diet!
Lucas Lindsey
To check your P-EBT balance without calling, you can: 1. Use the Connect EBT mobile app (available for both iPhone and Android) 2. Check online at connectebt.com 3. Look at your last receipt from a store where you used the card Make sure you're using the P-EBT card number, not your regular EBT card. They're tracked in the same system but are separate accounts. And yes, you should definitely activate the card as soon as possible. Benefits typically expire after a year of inactivity.
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Christian Bierman
•Perfect, thank you! I just downloaded the app and was able to set everything up. We have $365 per child on the card, which is going to be so helpful for our grocery budget. Appreciate everyone's help explaining this!
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Sophie Duck
i herd they might do a P-EBT 5.0 for last school year too (2023-2024) but not sure if its true. anybody know?
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Emma Olsen
•There are rumors, but nothing official has been announced about a P-EBT 5.0 program yet. The federal authorization for the program was extended, but each state has to apply for and implement it separately. California has typically been pretty good about participating in these programs, but there's always a significant delay between the school year and when benefits are actually issued. If your children qualify for free/reduced lunch, it's worth keeping your address updated with their school district so you'd receive any future P-EBT cards if they do get approved.
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