BenefitsCal login issues - locked out of EBT account after website upgrade
Is anyone else having nightmares with the new BenefitsCal website update? I've been trying to log in to check my CalFresh balance for THREE DAYS now! Every time I enter my username/password, it says 'credentials not recognized' even though I KNOW they're correct. I wrote everything down! When I try the password reset option, it says it's sending an email but nothing ever comes through. I need to check if my benefits loaded this month since I'm down to my last $25 in food money. Called the EBT customer service line 5 times and got disconnected each time after waiting 45+ minutes. How are we supposed to access our benefits when they keep 'improving' systems that worked fine before? This is seriously affecting my ability to feed my family - I have 3 kids and can't keep wasting hours trying to get this fixed!
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Emma Davis
same thing hapning to me!! the new benefitscal site is garbage. my worker told me to create a whole new account but then it said my ssn was already linked to an account?? make it make sense
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Javier Torres
AuthorThey told me to create a new account too! But then it asked for a code sent to my old email that I can't access anymore. It's like they designed this system to block people from their benefits. Did you finally get in?
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CosmicCaptain
I work for a community organization that helps people with CalFresh applications, and we've heard from at least 30 clients this week with the same issue. The BenefitsCal system update is causing widespread login problems. Here's what's working for most people: 1. Try using a different browser (Chrome seems to work better than Safari or Firefox) 2. Clear your browser cache completely before trying again 3. Make sure you're using the exact username format from before (some people used email, others used custom usernames) 4. If you still can't get in, you can request an EBT balance check by phone at 1-877-328-9677 without logging in The system migration should be fully complete by next week, but that doesn't help when you need to check your balance now. Unfortunately, this happens with almost every major system update.
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Malik Johnson
Thank u for this info! I tried clearing cache and switching to Chrome but still locked out. The phone number worked tho - I was able to at least check my balance. My February payment did go through thank god. Do you know if theres a way to submit my quarterly report through phone since thats coming up soon and I usually do it online?
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Isabella Ferreira
The BenefitsCal site is a JOKE! I've been dealing with this same issue for over a week. Called the county office 6 TIMES, each time waiting over an hour only to be told "we're experiencing technical difficulties" and "try again later." LATER?? People need FOOD! I finally got through to someone yesterday who told me they're aware of the login problems but couldn't give me a timeline for fixing it. Meanwhile my recertification is due in 10 days and if I miss it because of THEIR broken system, they'll blame ME. The whole CalFresh system is designed to make people give up.
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Javier Torres
AuthorYES! Exactly! I'm worried about my recertification too. Did they tell you any alternative ways to submit it if the website is still down? I can't afford to lose my benefits because their system is broken.
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Ravi Sharma
i had this problem 2. cant log in for nuthin. ended up just going 2 the actual office and waiting 4 hours but at least got to talk to a real person. they fixed my account while i was there. sucked to waste half a day but better than starving
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Freya Thomsen
this is why i always keep the paper benefit letters they send! online stuff breaks all the time but paper works without internet lol
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Omar Zaki
After struggling with this exact same problem and not being able to access my CalFresh account, I discovered this service called Claimyr that helped me actually reach a real person at the county office. I was skeptical at first but they connected me to a CalFresh worker within 20 minutes when I had been trying for days on my own. The worker was able to verify my identity and manually update my account to work with the new system. You can check them out at claimyr.com - there's a video showing how it works at https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8. Seriously saved me hours of frustration and got my account issue resolved same day.
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Isabella Ferreira
Does this actually work? I'm desperate enough to try anything at this point. Did they ask for your personal information upfront? I'm always hesitant about sharing my info with third-party services.
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Omar Zaki
They just need your phone number so they can connect you to the county office. They don't ask for any CalFresh account details or anything like that. The county worker will verify your identity once you're connected. It was worth it for me instead of dealing with busy signals and disconnections for days.
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CosmicCaptain
Quick update on this issue: The county released an official statement yesterday about the BenefitsCal login problems. They're extending all February recertification deadlines by 15 days to accommodate people affected by the system issues. If you're locked out, they recommend: 1. Trying the mobile app instead of the website (some users report more success) 2. Calling your specific county office (not the general EBT line) and requesting a temporary PIN 3. Using the automated phone system at 1-877-328-9677 for checking balances and basic account info They expect the system to be fully operational by February 15th. For anyone with immediate food needs who can't access benefits, you can request an emergency allocation by calling the crisis line at your county office.
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Javier Torres
AuthorThank you SO MUCH for this update! I finally got in using the mobile app suggestion. For some reason it worked right away even though the website was still giving me errors. The 15-day extension is a huge relief because I was panicking about my recertification. I appreciate you sharing this info!
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Malik Johnson
Has anyone noticed that once you FINALLY get logged in, the new system is actually better? I struggled for days with login issues but now that I'm in, I can see payment history for the past 12 months (used to only show 3 months), and the document upload feature actually confirms when they receive it now. Still inexcusable that they rolled out an update that locked people out though.
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Emma Davis
i still cant get in so cant confirm lol. but glad to hear its better once ur in! gives me hope
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Luca Romano
This is so frustrating! I'm dealing with the exact same login nightmare. Been locked out for 4 days now and my kids are asking why we can't go grocery shopping. I tried the mobile app suggestion from @CosmicCaptain and it actually worked! Still can't believe they didn't test this system properly before rolling it out. People depend on these benefits to eat - you can't just break the system and expect people to wait weeks for a fix. At least I can finally see my balance now, but this whole situation shows how broken the system is for people who need it most.
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