


Ask the community...
THIS IS EXACTLY WHY I ALWAYS WITHDRAW ALL MY BENEFITS AS SOON AS THEY HIT MY ACCOUNT!!!!! The system doesn't protect us AT ALL. I take out all my cash benefits on the 1st and I use my CalFresh benefits to buy grocery store gift cards for later in the month. They can't steal what's not on the card!!!! The county worker told me not to do this but it's the ONLY way to be safe. They don't care about us!!!
Just a careful note here - purchasing gift cards with CalFresh benefits is actually not permitted under program rules. This could potentially lead to benefit violations. A better approach is to use the new EBT Edge mobile app to freeze/unfreeze your card between uses and change your PIN regularly.
UPDATE: I finally got through to my county worker today! Filed the police report yesterday and submitted all the paperwork. They said they'll expedite my case because I have children in the household and should have the benefits replaced within 5 business days. In the meantime, we got emergency food from two local food banks. Thanks everyone for your help and advice during this stressful time! Will keep you posted on how it all turns out.
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!!!
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.
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.
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.
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.
Laila Prince
my sister works for the county and she says they're SUPER behind on processing right now because of the new system update. she said most applications r taking the full 30 days
0 coins
Drew Hathaway
UPDATE: I tried that Claimyr service someone mentioned and it actually worked! Got through to a person at LA County within 40 minutes (after trying for DAYS on my own). Turns out they needed my latest pay stub but the notice got lost in the mail. I uploaded it directly while on the phone and the worker said my application should be processed within 48 hours. Thanks everyone for the help and suggestions!
0 coins
Dominique Adams
•awesome! glad u got it figured out! the system is so broken
0 coins
Angel Campbell
•Great news! Make sure to set up text or email alerts in your BenefitsCal account so you don't miss future communications. Much more reliable than waiting for physical mail.
0 coins