ALERT: EBT Card skimmer found at 7-11 on Sierra Highway - Should I report to CalFresh?

YES call EBT customer service IMMEDIATELY at 1-877-328-9677 to cancel your current card and get a new one issued. Don't wait for your benefits to be stolen. When you report the card as compromised, they'll deactivate it and issue a new one with a different card number. In California, they can replace CalFresh benefits that were stolen due to skimming, but you need to report it within 10 days of discovering the theft. Better to be proactive now since you know your card might be compromised.

This happened to me back in November! I had used my EBT card at a gas station and the next day ALL my benefits ($897) were gone - used in some store in Florida when I've never even been there. I called EBT customer service right away and they opened a claim. Filed a police report too. Took about 3 weeks but I did get all my benefits back. Definitely report it NOW even if nothing is missing yet. The new card took about 5 days to arrive. If you need emergency food while waiting, call 211 for local food banks that can help immediately.

I used to work for the county. Here's what you should do: 1. Call EBT customer service (877-328-9677) to report your card as potentially compromised 2. Request a new card immediately 3. File a police report with Palmdale Sheriff's Station about the skimmer 4. Call your county office as well so they have it on record 5. Monitor your EBT account daily until your new card arrives If any funds are stolen before your card is deactivated, California law allows for benefit replacement for skimming victims. You'll need to submit a signed statement and possibly the police report number.

THIS IS WHY I ALWAYS TRANSFER MY CALFRESH TO MY REGULAR BANK ACCOUNT THE MINUTE THEY LOAD!!! Those EBT cards have ZERO protection. My cousin had $750 stolen and was told she wouldn't get it back because she couldn't prove it wasn't her using the card. The whole system is broken. They should give us the option to use an app or something more secure instead of these ancient magnetic stripe cards that are so easy to skim.

I had something similar happen at a different store and spent DAYS trying to reach someone at the county office. Kept getting disconnected or put on hold forever. I actually found this service called Claimyr that got me through to a real CalFresh worker in under 5 minutes. Saved me hours of frustration with the phone system. They have a video showing how it works at https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 and their website is claimyr.com. Totally worth it for emergencies like this when you need to talk to someone ASAP.

Make sure you also report this to the Palmdale Sheriff's Station and the California Department of Agriculture's EBT Fraud unit. The more reports they get, the more likely they'll investigate and catch whoever did this. And definitely don't use your EBT card at that 7-11 again even after you get a new card.

I work at a convenience store (not that one) and we check our card readers every shift for skimmers. You should be careful using EBT at gas stations and convenience stores in general - they're common targets. Always check the card reader by tugging on it gently before inserting your card. If it feels loose or comes off, it's a skimmer. Also cover the keypad when entering your PIN.

I had my benefits stolen last year and it was a NIGHTMARE getting them back. Took almost 2 months! And they interrogated me like I was the criminal. So unfair when we're just trying to feed our families. The system is rigged against us poor folks who need help. Why don't they make EBT cards with chips like regular credit cards?? So frustrating!

UPDATE: Finally got through to EBT customer service! They're sending me a new card that should arrive in 3-5 business days and put a note on my account about the skimmer situation. The rep said if any benefits do get stolen before my new card arrives, I'll need to submit a 'Stolen Benefits Request Form' through my county office. Thanks everyone for your help!