Can't reach California CalFresh? Claimyr connects you to a live DSS agent in minutes.
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Using Claimyr will:
- Connect you to a human agent at the DSS
- Skip the long phone menu
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- Redial until on hold
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If I could give 10 stars I would
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!
Really made a difference
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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Did your worker tell you how long the review would take after you fixed the form? When this happened to me they never gave me a straight answer and I ended up having to borrow money from family to avoid utilities being shut off. The worst part was they eventually replaced my benefits but by then I was already in debt to everyone I know. It's so unfair that we get punished for something that wasn't our fault.
She wouldn't give me a timeline at all! Just said "it'll be processed when it's processed" which was so unhelpful. I don't have family I can borrow from so I'm really scared about what happens if this drags on. I'm going to try some of the advice here about going in person tomorrow.
also check with local food banks!! they often have emergency assistance for people waiting on calfresh benefits. saved me when mine were stolen
Thank you for this suggestion. I found a food bank near me that has emergency boxes available. At least that will help us get through the next few days while I'm fighting with the county.
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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
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!
awesome! glad u got it figured out! the system is so broken
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.
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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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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!
Sebastian Scott
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!!!
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Sarah Jones
•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.
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Sebastian Scott
•Well the RULES don't protect us from THEFT!!! I'd rather break a rule than have my kids go hungry because some scammer took all our food money!! The system is BROKEN!
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Alexander Zeus
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.
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Gabriel Graham
•good luck!! hope u get ur money back fast!!
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Alicia Stern
•That's great news! The expedited process for households with children is working as intended. Make sure to set up the EBT transaction alerts on BenefitsCal when you get your new card so you'll be notified immediately of any transactions.
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