BenefitsCal login nightmare - says my password AND email don't exist for CalFresh account

Same thing happened to me last week! I kept trying different passwords I've used before and nothing worked. When I called the county office, they told me there was a system update that messed up some accounts. Have you tried calling your county worker directly? I finally got through after being on hold for nearly 2 hours and they had to manually reset something on their end.

try clearing ur browser cache and cookies first, sometimes that fixes weird login issues. worked for me once when the site kept glitching

This is unfortunately a known issue with the BenefitsCal portal after their January 2025 system update. The technical team is still resolving account migration problems. Here's what you need to do: 1. Don't create a new account - this will cause more complications 2. Call your county office directly and ask for the "BenefitsCal account recovery team" 3. Provide your case number, name, and the email you previously used 4. Request them to manually verify your identity and relink your email 5. Ask them to note your recertification deadline in your case file to avoid discontinuance Also, while your online access is limited, you can still submit recertification documents by mail, fax, or in person at your county office. Make sure to keep proof of submission (receipt, fax confirmation, etc.).

OMG the same thing is happening to me right now!!! So frustrating!!! They should at least warn people before these "updates" that mess everything up! Now I'm worried about getting my benefits next month...

I've called the county CalFresh office about 8 times since yesterday morning and can't get through to anyone. Just automated systems and eventually disconnections after being on hold. This is ridiculous when my benefits might be at risk!

UPDATE: Finally got through to someone after trying different options in the phone menu (said I was a new applicant instead of existing recipient). The worker confirmed there's a system-wide issue affecting "thousands of accounts" after their update. She manually verified my identity and submitted a ticket to their IT department. Said I should be able to log in within 48 hours, but she also noted in my file that I tried to submit my recertification so I won't be penalized for the delay. For anyone else dealing with this - keep trying different options in the phone menu until you reach a human!

good 2 hear u got it fixed! the county really needs to get better tech people, seems like every update breaks something lol

This sounds so stressful! While you're waiting for your online access to be restored, another option is to download the recertification forms from the county website (not BenefitsCal), fill them out by hand, and submit them at your local office. I had to do this last year during another system outage. Make sure to get a receipt and take pictures of everything you submit for your records. Just sharing in case the 48 hours turns into longer - you'll still meet your deadline!

That Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier actually sounds interesting. Has anyone else used it? I'm having similar login problems now too, and I don't have time to wait on hold for hours with my job.

I'm still locked out of my account!!! It's been 3 days and nothing's fixed! Called again today and they said the ticket is "in process" whatever that means... This is SO ANNOYING!!!

I just went through this exact same nightmare last month! The system update definitely caused widespread login issues. One thing that helped me was going to your county's CalFresh office in person with your ID and case number - they can pull up your account on their internal system and help you submit documents directly, even when the online portal is broken. The staff there told me they've been dealing with tons of people having the same problem. Also, if you have your old paper notices or emails from CalFresh, bring those as proof of your existing case. Don't panic about the recertification deadline - as long as you make contact and show you're trying to comply, they usually won't cut off your benefits immediately. Document everything though (dates you called, reference numbers, etc.) just in case!

I'm dealing with this exact same issue right now! My login was working fine last week and now it's saying my email doesn't exist. I tried the phone number for my county office but got stuck in an endless loop of automated messages. Reading through everyone's experiences here, it sounds like this system update really messed things up for a lot of people. I'm going to try going in person to my local office like Sophia suggested since that seems more reliable than waiting on hold for hours. Has anyone figured out if there's a specific time of day when the phone lines are less busy? I work during normal business hours so I need to time my calls strategically.

I'm experiencing the exact same login nightmare! Started having issues 4 days ago where BenefitsCal suddenly doesn't recognize my email, even though I've been using the same account for over a year. I tried all the usual fixes - clearing cache, different browsers, resetting password - nothing works. Reading through everyone's experiences here is both frustrating and reassuring that it's not just me. I'm planning to visit my county office in person this week since phone calls seem hit-or-miss. Quick question for those who successfully got through to someone - when they manually reset your account, did they give you a new temporary password or did your original password start working again? Also documenting everything like others suggested in case I need proof later. This system really needs to be more reliable when people's food security depends on it!

I'm having the exact same problem! My BenefitsCal account worked perfectly until this week, and now it's acting like I never existed in their system. It's so stressful when you're trying to manage your benefits and the website just decides to forget you. Reading through everyone's experiences here makes me feel less alone in this mess. I'm definitely going to try the advice about calling right when they open at 8 AM - that's a great tip! Also planning to visit my county office in person with all my documentation as backup. It's frustrating that we have to jump through all these hoops just to access our own benefits, but I'm grateful for this community sharing solutions. For anyone else dealing with this - we'll get through it! Keep documenting everything and don't give up.

I'm going through this exact same issue right now and it's driving me absolutely crazy! My BenefitsCal login worked fine until a few days ago, and now it's telling me my email doesn't exist even though I've been getting their notifications for months. I have my recertification coming up soon too, so the timing couldn't be worse. Reading through everyone's experiences here is both frustrating and comforting - at least I know it's not just me going insane! I'm definitely going to try the strategy of calling right at 8 AM when they open, and if that doesn't work, I'll head to my county office in person with all my documentation. It's really helpful to see that others have gotten this resolved eventually. Thanks everyone for sharing your solutions - this community is a lifesaver when the actual system fails us!

I'm dealing with this exact same login issue right now! My BenefitsCal account was working perfectly fine until this week, and now it's telling me my email address doesn't exist in their system - even though I literally got a notification email from them just last week! It's so stressful when you depend on these benefits and the system just randomly decides to lock you out. I tried all the usual troubleshooting steps (clearing cache, different browsers, password reset) but nothing works. Reading through everyone's experiences here is both frustrating and reassuring - at least I know I'm not going crazy and it's a real system-wide problem. I'm going to try the 8 AM calling strategy that some people mentioned, and if that doesn't work, I'll visit my county office in person with all my documentation. It's ridiculous that we have to become tech support experts just to access our own benefits, but I'm grateful for this community sharing solutions and support. Thanks everyone for documenting your experiences - it really helps to know we're not alone in this mess!

I'm going through this exact same nightmare right now! My BenefitsCal account was working fine until about a week ago, and now it's saying both my email and password don't exist. Like others have mentioned, I've been getting email notifications from them regularly, so I know my email is definitely in their system somewhere. It's so frustrating when you're trying to stay on top of your benefits and the system just randomly locks you out. I tried calling my county office yesterday but got stuck in the automated menu for over an hour before getting disconnected. Reading through everyone's experiences here is both maddening and reassuring - at least I know it's not just me dealing with this mess! I'm definitely going to try that 8 AM calling strategy that several people mentioned, and I'm also planning to visit my local county office in person as a backup plan. It's ridiculous that we have to become problem-solving experts just to access our basic benefits, but I'm grateful for this community sharing solutions and supporting each other through these system failures. Thanks everyone for documenting your experiences - it really helps to know we're not alone in this!

I'm dealing with this exact same login crisis right now! My BenefitsCal account worked perfectly until about 3 days ago, and now it's telling me my email doesn't exist - despite the fact that I literally have email notifications from them sitting in my inbox from last week. It's absolutely maddening when you're trying to manage something as critical as food benefits and the system just randomly decides to forget you exist. I tried calling yesterday but gave up after 90 minutes of hold music and automated transfers. Reading through everyone's experiences here is both infuriating and oddly comforting - at least I know I'm not losing my mind and this is a real widespread issue. I'm definitely going to try that 8 AM calling strategy that multiple people have mentioned, and I'm also preparing to visit my county office in person with all my documentation as backup. It's absolutely ridiculous that we have to become IT troubleshooters and customer service ninjas just to access our own benefits, but I'm so grateful for this community sharing real solutions. Thanks everyone for documenting your journeys through this mess - knowing we're not alone makes it slightly less overwhelming!

I'm experiencing this exact same login nightmare! Just started having issues yesterday where BenefitsCal suddenly doesn't recognize my email, even though I've been using it successfully for months and have email notifications from them as recent as last week. It's so frustrating when you depend on these benefits and the system just randomly decides you don't exist. I tried all the usual fixes (clearing cache, different browsers, password reset) but nothing works. Reading everyone's experiences here is both maddening and reassuring - at least I know it's not just me going crazy! I'm definitely going to try that 8 AM calling strategy that several people mentioned, and I'm also planning to visit my county office in person with all my documentation as backup. It's ridiculous that we have to become tech support experts just to access our own benefits, but I'm grateful for this community sharing real solutions. Thanks everyone for documenting your journeys through this mess - knowing we're not alone makes it slightly less overwhelming!

I'm going through this exact same issue right now and it's driving me absolutely insane! My BenefitsCal account was working perfectly fine until about 5 days ago, and now suddenly it's telling me my email doesn't exist in their system - even though I literally have notifications from them in my inbox from just last week! I tried calling my county office but after 2 hours on hold, I got disconnected. Reading through everyone's experiences here is both frustrating and comforting - at least I know I'm not the only one dealing with this nightmare. I'm definitely going to try that 8 AM calling strategy that several people mentioned, and I'm also planning to visit my county office in person with all my documentation just in case. My recertification is due next month and I can't afford to have my benefits interrupted over a system glitch. Thank you everyone for sharing your solutions and experiences - this community is honestly more helpful than the actual BenefitsCal support right now!

I'm experiencing this exact same login nightmare right now! My BenefitsCal account was working fine until this morning, and now it's saying my email doesn't exist even though I've been getting their notifications regularly. It's so stressful when you need access to manage your benefits and the system just randomly decides you don't exist! Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly reassuring - I was starting to think I was going crazy. The 8 AM calling strategy sounds like a great tip, and I'm definitely going to try that tomorrow. I'm also planning to gather all my documentation for a potential in-person visit to my county office as backup. It's frustrating that we have to become customer service experts just to access our own benefits, but I'm so grateful for this community sharing real solutions and support. Thanks everyone for documenting your journeys through this mess - knowing there are actual solutions that have worked gives me hope!