Thank you all so much for the help! I checked my case number and it does end in 8, so now I know my benefits come on the 9th of each month. I'm setting up a calendar reminder and got those text alerts set up too. Sorry for such a basic question but this makes my life so much easier!

So glad you got it figured out! I had the exact same confusion when I first started receiving CalFresh. One tip that really helped me was downloading the ebtEDGE mobile app - it's the official app for checking your EBT balance and transaction history. You can see exactly when your benefits are loaded and track your spending throughout the month. It's been super helpful for meal planning and budgeting. Welcome to the community and don't hesitate to ask questions - we've all been there!

Something that hasn't been mentioned yet - if you're facing hardship while waiting for stolen benefits to be replaced, you can request an expedited hardship replacement. In California, if you're experiencing an immediate food need, you can request emergency benefits while your theft claim is being processed. You'll need to submit a statement of hardship along with your theft claim form (CF 303). This doesn't work in every case, but it helped me get partial benefits while waiting for my full theft reimbursement.

I had no idea about this option! Nobody at the county office mentioned it, even when I told them I was struggling to buy food. Is there a specific form for the hardship request or just a written statement?

here's a tip nobody told me: when u get ur new card call right away to change the pin even if u think ur using the same one. sometimes the system assigns a random pin to replacement cards and then u get locked out after 3 tries. happened to me and had to wait for ANOTHER card smh

Just checking back - did your card arrive yet? Today would be the 3rd business day since it was mailed, so there's a good chance it's arriving today or tomorrow.

Thank you everyone for the helpful responses! I feel much better about this move now. I'm going to call LA County tomorrow to start the ICT process and make sure I have all my documentation organized. I'll update here once the transfer goes through in case it helps someone else in the future.

Good luck with your move! Just wanted to add one more tip - when you do your ICT, ask LA County for a printout or email confirmation of your current benefit amount and case details. This helps San Bernardino verify everything matches up during the transfer. Also, don't panic if your EBT card shows a weird balance or pending transactions during the transfer week - that's normal as the systems sync up between counties. Your benefits will continue as long as you stay eligible. You're doing all the right things by planning ahead! Most people who have problems wait until the last minute. Keep us posted on how it goes! 🙂

This is such an important thread - thank you @Ana Rusula for sharing your experience! I work at a local food bank and we've been hearing about this issue more and more. A few additional tips I wanted to share: 1. If you're waiting for your investigation to complete, many food banks have emergency food boxes available specifically for EBT theft victims - just bring documentation of your claim filing 2. Some counties are now issuing temporary paper vouchers while investigations are pending, so definitely ask about this option 3. Consider setting up account alerts through your EBT app if available - some people catch the theft within hours instead of days The fact that this is happening across multiple platforms (Walmart, Target, etc.) suggests it's a broader security issue with online EBT processing. Until they fix these vulnerabilities, in-person shopping really does seem like the safest option. Wishing everyone dealing with this a quick resolution!

This thread has been incredibly eye-opening and helpful! I've been using Walmart grocery pickup for the past few months without any issues, but after reading everyone's experiences, I'm definitely switching back to in-person shopping only. The risk just isn't worth it. @Ana Rusula I'm so sorry this happened to you and I'm really glad you were able to get those emergency benefits while waiting for your case to resolve! Your persistence in calling and using that Claimyr service really paid off. A few things I wanted to add based on what I've learned from this discussion: - I immediately enabled the card lock feature on my EBT app after reading @Fiona Gallagher's suggestion - I'm going to start checking my account balance daily instead of just when I shop - I had no idea about the once-per-year replacement policy that @Axel Bourke mentioned - that's really important information @Madison Allen thank you for sharing those food bank resources! I'm going to research what's available in my area just to be prepared. It's reassuring to know there are backup options if this ever happens. This community is amazing - everyone looking out for each other and sharing practical advice. Hopefully these security issues get resolved soon, but until then, we all need to be extra careful with our EBT cards online. Stay safe everyone!