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I used to work in cyber security and this is a HUGE problem now. These scammers target benefit programs specifically because they know the system is slow to respond and many families can't wait. One trick I learned is to transfer benefits to a separate EBT account if your county allows it - keep minimal funds on your main card and move money over as needed.
Noah Lee
•That's brilliant! I never thought about splitting up the benefits as a security measure. I'm going to ask if Santa Clara County allows this. Thank you!
btw has anyone heard about that bill they were trying to pass to make EBT skimming reimbursement faster? whatever happened with that?
SB-583 passed last year, which requires counties to provide provisional credits within 10 days for skimming victims while investigations are pending. However, the implementation has been inconsistent across counties. If your benefits were stolen, specifically mention this law when speaking with your county worker, as some may not be fully trained on the new requirements yet.
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Eli Butler
I want to address something important: If your income is changing with this new job in Kern County, you need to report that as well. If the change puts you over the Income Reporting Threshold (IRT), you must report it within 10 days of the change. This is separate from the address change/county transfer. For a household of 3 in 2025, the IRT is approximately $3,750/month gross income. Be sure to check your last recertification notice for your specific IRT amount. Failing to report income changes can result in an overpayment that you'd have to pay back.
That's a good point - my income will be going up slightly but should still be under that threshold. I'm going from part-time to full-time at a similar hourly rate. I'll definitely make sure to report that along with the address change. Thanks for bringing this up!
Sofia Price
One more thing that nobody mentioned - make sure your mailing address is updated everywhere! When I transferred counties, I missed a crucial letter because it went to my old address even though I had updated my physical address. Set up mail forwarding with USPS too, just to be safe.
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Zoe Walker
anyone know if the pbt is a one time payment or do they reload the card again next month??
Ryan Kim
•From what I understand after reading everything here, this seems to be a one-time payment for now. That's why it's so frustrating that it's such a small amount! Barely covers a week or two of food costs for growing kids.
Elijah Brown
Just to clarify about the P-EBT amount that several people have mentioned - the $230 per child is specifically for the fall semester period. It's calculated based on a daily rate multiplied by the number of eligible school days. If you're struggling with food costs beyond what P-EBT and CalFresh provide, here are some additional resources in LA County: 1. WIC (if you have children under 5) 2. Food banks - LA Regional Food Bank has distribution sites throughout the county 3. School-based pantries - many LAUSD and other district schools now have food pantries for families 4. Summer meal programs will be starting soon where kids can get free meals during summer break Also, if your income has decreased recently or your expenses have increased significantly, you can report these changes to potentially increase your regular CalFresh benefits, even if it's not your regular reporting month.
Natalie Chen
•The food banks are ALWAYS out of food by the time working parents can get there!!! I've tried 3 different locations and they're all picked clean by noon. Some of us WORK during distribution hours and can't just take off whenever we want!!!
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my neighbor said the government can track everything u buy with ebt and thats how they catch people selling their benefits which is a FELONY just fyi be careful who u talk to about ur card
Norah Quay
•That's partially correct. The system does record where benefits are spent and for what amount, but not the specific items purchased. And yes, selling benefits is illegal and treated seriously. However, this is unrelated to the current discussion about theft via skimming. No one here is suggesting anything improper with benefits - we're discussing protecting legitimate benefits from criminals.
Brady Clean
I just changed my PIN and set up text alerts for transactions! The worker at my county office finally called me back and confirmed there was a skimming operation they busted at several stores around town. She said they're working with the local police department and the USDA to investigate. She also mentioned they're planning to replace the affected clients' benefits but it could take 30-45 days for the funds to be restored. I'm checking my balance every morning now just to be safe. Thanks everyone for all the helpful advice!
Skylar Neal
•glad u got help!! did they tell u which stores to avoid?? im worried now
Natasha Volkova
That's great news! Glad you finally got answers. It's always that one little detail that seems to hold things up. Make sure you save that direct number for the future!
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Amina Toure
so happy for you!!! make sure you check your balance again tonight!!!
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