California CalFresh

IMPORTANT: Make sure when you move you do an inter-county transfer form for your CalFresh rather than applying new! If you just update your address they'll process it as a new application and you could lose benefits for a month or more. The form is called ICT (Inter-County Transfer).

UPDATE: I got through to the new county's housing specialist yesterday (had to call about 12 times). They said they CAN help with my deposit through their homeless prevention program even though I'm not a resident yet! I need to bring: 1) letter from current shelter, 2) pending lease agreement, 3) my current county CalFresh documentation, and 4) proof of income. They can issue a check directly to the landlord within 5 business days. Relief!!!

I'm so sorry this happened to you and your family. EBT fraud is unfortunately becoming more common and sophisticated. Here are some immediate steps you can take while waiting for your benefits to be restored: 1. **Emergency food assistance**: Call 211 right now to find local food banks, soup kitchens, and emergency food programs in your area. Many don't require paperwork and can help immediately. 2. **School meals**: Make sure your kids are getting free breakfast and lunch at school if they're eligible. 3. **Emergency CalFresh**: Ask your caseworker about emergency food assistance or expedited replacement benefits due to "household hardship with minor children" - this is different from the fraud investigation and can sometimes be processed in 3-5 days. 4. **Document everything**: Keep all your case numbers, call logs, and any documentation. Take photos of your empty EBT balance as proof. In my experience helping families with benefits, fraud claims typically resolve in 10-15 days despite the 30-day window they quote. The key is to keep calling and emphasizing that you have children with no food. Don't give up - you deserve to have your stolen benefits restored quickly. Stay strong, and please update us when you get resolution. We're rooting for you and your family.

I'm so sorry you're going through this nightmare - having your food benefits stolen twice in one day with 3 kids to feed is absolutely devastating. I went through EBT fraud last year and want to share what helped speed things up for me: **Immediate actions:** - File a police report online (most departments allow this now) - having a police report number can help expedite your case - Call your county CalFresh office directly (not just the EBT fraud line) and specifically request "emergency replacement benefits due to household hardship with minor children" - this is a separate process from fraud investigation and can be processed in 3-5 days - Call 211 immediately for emergency food resources - food banks, community meals, etc. **For follow-up:** - Keep calling every 2-3 days with your case numbers. Be persistent but polite, and always mention you have 3 children with no food - Ask to speak with a supervisor since your total fraud amount ($799) is substantial - Set up alerts on your new EBT card through ConnectEBT.com to catch any suspicious activity immediately In my experience, most fraud claims actually resolve in 10-15 days despite the 30-day estimate they give. The emergency replacement benefits can help bridge that gap. Don't let them make you wait without any help - you have options for immediate assistance while the investigation is pending. Hang in there - this community is here to support you through this.

UPDATE: After THREE HOURS on the phone today (kept getting transferred), I finally talked to someone helpful. Turns out they incorrectly removed my utility allowance AND coded my son as living elsewhere half-time (completely false - he lives with me full-time). The worker fixed both issues and said my benefits should go back to normal next month, plus they'll issue a supplement for the difference this month. Thanks everyone for your advice - I never would have known what to ask about without your suggestions!

So glad to hear you got this resolved! This is exactly why I always tell people in our community to persist when something doesn't make sense. The system has so many moving parts and unfortunately errors like this are more common than they should be. For anyone else reading this thread who might be dealing with similar issues - Zoe's experience shows how important it is to: 1. Keep detailed records of your household composition and expenses 2. Don't accept confusing benefit changes without questioning them 3. Ask specifically about utility allowances and household member coding 4. Get case numbers and worker names for everything The fact that they had your son coded as living elsewhere half-time when he lives with you full-time is a perfect example of how one small data entry error can cascade into a major benefit reduction. Thanks for sharing the update - it will definitely help other community members who face similar situations!

Update: I called my county office and they explained that we ARE getting the correct amount based on our income and expenses. The worker confirmed that since we're getting less than $200, we don't have an IRT but still need to do the SAR7 in six months. She said if my husband's income drops significantly before then (like if his hours get cut), we should report it anyway because we might qualify for more. Thanks everyone for your help understanding this!

Thanks for sharing this update! It's really helpful to see how this all worked out. I'm in a similar situation with a family of 5 and was wondering about the IRT thing too. Quick question - when the worker said to report if your husband's income drops significantly, did she give you any specific threshold? Like how much of a drop would be worth reporting? I'm trying to figure out if small weekly variations in my spouse's hours are worth calling about or if I should wait for bigger changes.

To answer your earlier question about updating your utility costs - you should call your eligibility worker right away. This is considered a change that could increase your benefits, so you don't need to wait for your next reporting period. If you can't reach anyone by phone, you can also submit this information through your BenefitsCal account online under 'Report a Change.' Make sure to upload copies of your utility bills as verification.

Just want to add that if you're struggling with rent, also look into the Fresno County Emergency Rental Assistance Program - they might still have funding available. I know someone who got 3 months of back rent covered through them last fall. The application process was pretty quick too, like 2-3 weeks from application to approval. You can apply online through their portal or visit one of their partner organizations. And definitely take everyone's advice about updating your utility expenses with CalFresh - that extra money each month really does help stretch your budget!