BenefitsCal website rejecting my login credentials for CalFresh account - anyone else?
Is anyone else locked out of their BenefitsCal account today? I've been trying to login since this morning to check my CalFresh application status, but it keeps saying my username/password is incorrect. I KNOW I'm using the right info - I've had the same password for months and even have it saved in my phone. I tried resetting it twice but never got the email. My benefits are supposed to renew next week and I need to see if they need any verification documents from me. Getting really stressed because the last time something like this happened, my benefits got cut off without warning. County phone line just puts me on hold forever. Has the website been glitchy for anyone else recently?
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Amina Sow
Same thing happened to me yesterday! I kept trying different passwords thinking I was going crazy. Finally gave up and called the county, but after 1.5 hours on hold I had to hang up for work. Tried again this morning and it's still not working. Feels like the whole system is down but they haven't bothered to put up a notice or anything.
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Paolo Conti
AuthorUgh, glad it's not just me but sorry you're dealing with it too. Did you try the 'forgot password' option? I did but never got the reset email, which makes me think something's definitely wrong with their system.
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GalaxyGazer
This is a known issue that started yesterday afternoon. The BenefitsCal system is experiencing technical difficulties that are affecting login authentication. According to what I heard from my eligibility worker (I called about something else), they're aware of the problem and their IT department is working on it. They said it should be resolved within 24-48 hours. Most importantly: this will NOT affect your benefits or renewal dates since it's a system-wide issue. They're putting holds on any adverse actions that would occur during the outage.
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Paolo Conti
AuthorThank you!! That's such a relief. I was seriously panicking thinking I'd lose my benefits over a website glitch. Do you know if there's any way to check my status in the meantime? My recertification is due next week and I want to make sure I haven't missed anything.
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GalaxyGazer
You're welcome! Unfortunately, there's no alternative way to check your status online while BenefitsCal is having issues. If your recertification is due next week, I would recommend calling your county office directly once the system is back up. Ask specifically if they've received all required verification documents and if your recertification is on track. Don't wait until the last day because sometimes documents take time to process in their system.
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Oliver Wagner
I'm having the exct same issue but my EBT card also isn't working at the store!!! I tried buying groceries and it got declined. Is this connected to the website issues?? I can't feed my kids without this money!!!
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Natasha Kuznetsova
The EBT card system is separate from BenefitsCal. If your card isn't working, you should call the EBT customer service number on the back of your card immediately. That's a different problem.
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Oliver Wagner
THANK YOU I didn't realize that!! I'll call them right now!
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Javier Mendoza
I was having the same issue and was going crazy trying to get through to my county worker to make sure my SAR7 was received. After being on hold for over an hour and getting disconnected twice, I used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get a callback from the county. They helped me confirm that my SAR7 was received and processed even though I couldn't see it online. Saved me hours of waiting on hold! You can see how it works in their video: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8
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Paolo Conti
AuthorNever heard of that service before. Does it really work to get through to actual CalFresh workers? I'm desperate enough to try anything at this point.
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Javier Mendoza
Yes, it connected me directly with a CalFresh eligibility worker who could see my case. I was skeptical too but it worked exactly as shown in their video. The callback came within about 20 minutes for me.
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Emma Thompson
This happens at the end of EVERY month!! The system gets overloaded because everyone is checking their benefits and submitting recertifications all at once. I've been on CalFresh for 3 years and it's always the same. Just wait a couple days and it'll be back up. As long as you submitted your recertification before the deadline you'll be fine.
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GalaxyGazer
While the system does sometimes slow down during peak periods, this is actually a different issue. The current login problem is a technical glitch that's affecting the authentication system specifically, not just system slowness. You're right though that meeting deadlines is what matters most - even if there are technical issues, as long as you've submitted required documents on time, your benefits should continue.
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Malik Davis
have u tried using a diferent browser? sometimes the website doesnt work right on my phone but works on the library computer
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Paolo Conti
AuthorI tried on both my phone and laptop with different browsers. Same error message each time. Thanks for the suggestion though!
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Natasha Kuznetsova
I just got through to someone at the county after calling repeatedly for hours. They confirmed the website is having technical issues and they're working on it. The most important thing they told me is that DEADLINES ARE BEING EXTENDED for anyone with submissions due during the outage. So if you have a SAR7 or recertification due right now, you'll get extra time. They couldn't tell me exactly how many days though.
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Paolo Conti
AuthorThat's good news about the deadline extensions! Thanks for sharing what you found out.
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Amina Sow
UPDATE: I just tried logging in again and it's working now! Looks like they fixed the issue. Everyone should try again.
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Paolo Conti
AuthorJust checked and you're right - I can log in now too! Thanks for the update. Going to check my recertification status right away.
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Vincent Bimbach
Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences! This thread was so helpful. I was starting to think I was losing my mind with the login issues. It's reassuring to know it was a system-wide problem and not something wrong with my account. The information about deadline extensions is especially valuable - I wish the county would communicate these things better instead of leaving us all stressed and guessing. Glad to hear it's working again now!
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Fatima Al-Suwaidi
Just wanted to add my experience to this thread - I had the exact same login issues yesterday and was panicking because my recertification interview is scheduled for Friday. After reading through all the helpful comments here, I decided to try the Claimyr service that @Javier Mendoza mentioned. It actually worked! I got connected to my eligibility worker within 30 minutes and was able to confirm that my SAR7 was received and my interview is still on schedule. The worker also mentioned that they're putting extra staff on phones this week because of all the calls from the website outage. For anyone still worried about deadlines or missing documents, I'd definitely recommend trying to get through by phone rather than waiting for the website. This community is amazing - thank you all for sharing your experiences and solutions!
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Paige Cantoni
Thanks for sharing your experience with Claimyr! I've been hesitant to try third-party services but hearing multiple success stories in this thread is really encouraging. It's good to know they have extra staff on phones this week - that explains why some people are finally getting through. I'm still dealing with some anxiety about my recertification timeline, so I might give them a call tomorrow if I can't get everything sorted through the website. Really appreciate everyone in this community looking out for each other during these stressful situations!
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