California CalFresh

Based on all the responses, it's clear this is a scam. To summarize for anyone else reading this thread: 1. Report the scam call to your county CalFresh office 2. Check your EBT balance regularly 3. Set up transaction alerts through the ConnectEBT app 4. Never give personal information to someone who calls you 5. If you suspect fraud, report it immediately (within 10 days) to be eligible for benefit replacement 6. Always call the official numbers directly rather than responding to incoming calls Stay safe everyone!

I'm so glad you called and got your account secured! This thread is really helpful - I had no idea about the 10-day rule for reporting stolen benefits or that you could set up transaction alerts. Going to download the ConnectEBT app right now. It's scary how these scammers are targeting people who need these benefits the most. Everyone should bookmark this thread as a reference for spotting these scams!

If you're still having trouble getting through to your county office, another option is to contact your local state assembly or senate representative's office. They often have constituent services staff who can help cut through bureaucratic red tape with benefits issues. I had to do this once when my county office wasn't responding and my benefits got suspended for no clear reason. The representative's office made a few calls and got my issue resolved within 48 hours. You can find your representatives at findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov. It might seem like overkill, but sometimes you need someone with more authority to advocate for you when the regular channels aren't working.

One thing that hasn't been mentioned yet - if you're having issues with your EBT card being declined at specific stores, you can also check the USDA's SNAP Retailer Locator online at www.fns.usda.gov/snap/retailer-locator to verify which stores in your area are actually authorized to accept CalFresh benefits. Sometimes smaller stores lose their authorization and don't immediately update their signage, or there might be temporary system issues with certain retailers. Also, if you're shopping at a store that definitely accepts EBT but your card keeps getting declined, ask the cashier to try running it as "EBT Food" rather than just "EBT" - some newer card readers require you to specify the benefit type. And always ask for a receipt showing the decline reason if possible, as this can help the county office troubleshoot your issue faster when you do get through to them. The county office route that everyone's suggesting is definitely the way to go though - the EBT customer service line really is just for basic card functions like balance checks and reporting lost cards.

Just wanted to add that if you're shopping at places like Walmart or Target, their self-checkout machines also let you check your EBT balance without making a purchase. Just insert your card, select EBT, and choose "balance inquiry" - super convenient when you're already at the store and want to double-check before you start shopping. Also, keep your approval paperwork somewhere safe because it has all your important case info including your deposit schedule!

One more tip that's really helpful for budgeting - if you sign up for the ebt.ca.gov website account, you can actually see your transaction history going back several months. This is super useful for tracking your spending patterns and figuring out how to make your benefits last the whole month. You can see exactly where you shopped, how much you spent, and what your balance was after each transaction. It really helped me get better at meal planning and budgeting when I first started receiving CalFresh benefits!

This whole thread has been a lifesaver! I had the exact same experience - got that mysterious $20 in February and spent months wondering if my case was broken or something. The notice I received was so confusing that I actually thought it might be a scam at first. What really bothers me is that this seems to happen with every special benefit program - remember how confusing the pandemic food benefit increases were? And don't even get me started on how they handled the end of emergency allotments. It's like they deliberately make these communications as vague as possible. I'm definitely going to try that Claimyr service next time I need to call. Has anyone had success using it for other CalFresh questions, or does it only work well for certain types of issues?

I got 20 in September and my surprise again in October .why I don't kno I thought only once a year you get 20 for God kno what .hopefully they don't say later you owe that money .we made mistakes .

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this - it's absolutely terrifying when you have kids to feed and your benefits just vanish! I've been using CalFresh for about 2 years now and thankfully haven't had this exact issue, but I've definitely experienced the frustration of trying to reach someone at the county office. One thing that helped me in the past was going directly to my local county office in person if possible. I know it's a pain, but sometimes showing up physically gets faster results than calling. Also, if you have a case number, try logging into the BenefitsCal website and sending a secure message through their system - sometimes that gets a quicker response than phone calls. Really hoping this gets resolved quickly for you and your family. Keep us updated on what works!

I'm really sorry you're going through this stress with your benefits disappearing - having to worry about feeding your kids because of system glitches is absolutely unacceptable. While I understand the frustration that makes paper stamps seem appealing, the EBT system does have some important protections once you know how to navigate it. Based on what others have shared here, it sounds like there might be a known system issue affecting multiple accounts right now. I'd definitely recommend trying that Claimyr service someone mentioned to actually get through to your county worker - sometimes these technical problems can be fixed in minutes once you reach the right person who can see what's flagging your account. In the meantime, if your family is facing immediate food insecurity, don't forget that many local food banks and community organizations can provide emergency assistance while you're waiting for this to get resolved. Your kids shouldn't have to go hungry because of bureaucratic system failures. Keep documenting everything and don't give up - you're entitled to those benefits and there are people here rooting for you to get this fixed!