CalFresh DPSS keeps calling then hanging up - driving me crazy!

Yes! This happened to me for two weeks straight in February. It's most likely their auto-dialer system that's malfunctioning. What's happening is their system is making more calls than they have available workers, so when you answer, there's no one there to take the call and it disconnects. It's incredibly frustrating but doesn't mean anything bad about your case specifically. I would suggest going to your BenefitsCal account and check for any notices or tasks you need to complete for your recertification. They usually send notices through mail and online before they start calling anyway.

omg yes happens to me ALL THE TIME!! its the worst cuz then i get all anxious thinking they need something important for my calfresh and then i waste my entire lunch break on hold trying to call back. and then they wonder why people miss their appointments lol

Same thing here. Happened 3x last month. So annoying.

This is a known issue with the DPSS phone system. I work in social services (not directly for CalFresh), and what's happening is their auto-dialer is making calls but when you answer, if there's no caseworker available within 2 seconds, it drops the call instead of putting you in a queue. It's extremely inefficient and frustrating for everyone. If you're due for recertification next month, you should already have received the recertification packet in the mail (RE: form) or a notification in your BenefitsCal account. Don't wait for them to call you - be proactive and complete your recertification as soon as possible. Also, make sure your contact information is up-to-date in the system, including your phone number and address. Sometimes these calls are just verification attempts before they send out important notices.

The DPSS phone system is absolutely BROKEN and has been for YEARS!! They set up this useless auto-dialer system that just harasses people and then don't have enough staff to actually talk to anyone. I've been dealing with this garbage since 2018 and it's only gotten worse. Last year they called me SIX TIMES in one day and hung up EVERY SINGLE TIME. Then they discontinued my benefits because they "couldn't reach me" even though THEY were the ones hanging up! I had to go through the whole appeal process and waste 3 weeks without benefits because their system is trash. And don't even get me started on trying to call them back - it's impossible to reach a human being! The whole system is designed to frustrate people so much they give up on their benefits. That's what they want!

I had this exact problem last month! After trying for days to get through, I found this service called Claimyr that got me connected to a real DPSS worker in about 10 minutes instead of waiting for hours. It basically waits on hold for you and calls you when a real person picks up. Saved me so much stress with my recertification issue. There's a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 The website is claimyr.com if you want to check it out. I was skeptical at first but it actually worked when I was desperate to talk to someone about my SAR7 that I thought was lost in the mail.

I've been on CalFresh for almost 7 years now, and this has been happening on and off the whole time. It's incredibly frustrating, but I've learned a few tricks to deal with it: 1. If you get these calls, immediately check your BenefitsCal account for any new notifications or tasks 2. Make sure your recertification or SAR7 is submitted early (at least 2 weeks before the deadline) 3. If you need to reach them, call exactly at 8:00 AM when they open - the wait time is usually shorter 4. Document every call attempt you make (date, time, how long you waited) 5. If possible, visit an office in person when you're having phone issues Also, these mysterious hang-up calls often happen when they're trying to schedule interview appointments or verify information. They rarely result in benefit termination without them sending you something in writing first. So check your mail carefully and your online account daily. Hope this helps ease your mind a bit!

my aunt works for dpss and she says their phone system is garbage and the workers hate it too lol

One other thing to keep in mind - sometimes these calls are automated reminders about upcoming deadlines or verification needs. The system is supposed to play a recording when you answer, but if it malfunctions, you just get silence and then a hang-up. Since you mentioned your recertification is due next month, I'd focus on completing that ASAP. Make sure you have: 1. Income verification for everyone in your household (pay stubs, award letters, etc.) 2. Rent/mortgage documentation 3. Utility bills if you're claiming the standard utility allowance 4. Any childcare expenses if applicable 5. Medical expenses for elderly or disabled household members Submit everything through BenefitsCal if possible - it creates a digital record of your submission date and time, which is very helpful if there are any disputes later about whether you met deadlines.

I just went through this same nightmare last month! The phantom calls are SO stressful. What finally worked for me was going to my local DPSS office in person with my recertification paperwork. I know it's a pain, but I was able to speak to someone immediately and confirm that my case was on track. They also updated my phone number in their system (even though it was already correct) and the hang-up calls stopped after that. Sometimes their system gets stuck in a loop with certain phone numbers. The worker told me it happens more often than you'd think. If you can spare a morning, I'd really recommend the in-person visit - it gave me so much peace of mind and took less time than all those failed phone attempts combined!

I'm dealing with this exact same issue right now! Got three hang-up calls from DPSS just this week and it's making me so anxious about my upcoming recertification. Reading through everyone's responses here is actually really reassuring - at least I know it's not just me and it's probably not anything urgent about my case. I'm definitely going to try calling right at 8am like @Samantha Johnson suggested, and I think I'll also visit the office in person like @Amara Adebayo did. It sounds like that might be the most reliable way to actually talk to someone and make sure everything is okay with my benefits. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - this community is so helpful when dealing with all the DPSS frustrations!

I've been dealing with this exact same problem for months! The hang-up calls are absolutely maddening - I've started ignoring calls from unknown county numbers because I know they'll just disconnect anyway. What's worked best for me is setting up text notifications in my BenefitsCal account. At least that way I get alerts about important deadlines or documents needed without having to rely on their broken phone system. You can enable text alerts by going to Account Settings > Communication Preferences. Also, pro tip: if you do need to call them back, try using the callback feature instead of waiting on hold. When you get to the automated menu, there's usually an option to have them call you back when it's your turn. It's not perfect, but at least you don't have to sit there listening to hold music for an hour! The whole system is frustrating but don't let the phantom calls stress you out too much - as long as you stay on top of your paperwork and deadlines through the online portal, you should be fine.

I'm so glad I found this thread! I'm new to CalFresh and just started getting these mystery calls from DPSS last week. I had no idea what was happening and was getting really worried that I did something wrong with my application. It's such a relief to know this is a widespread system issue and not something specific to my case. I'm definitely going to try some of the suggestions here - especially the text notifications in BenefitsCal and calling right at 8am. As someone who's still figuring out how all this works, this community has been incredibly helpful. Thank you all for sharing your experiences and tips! Quick question though - for those who have been dealing with this for a while, do these phantom calls ever actually stop on their own, or is it just something we have to live with as long as we're on CalFresh?

This is such a timely thread for me! I just started getting these phantom calls from DPSS yesterday and was completely panicking thinking I had messed up my initial application somehow. Reading everyone's experiences here has been incredibly reassuring - it's clearly a widespread system issue that affects both new and long-term recipients. I'm definitely going to implement the suggestions about setting up text notifications in BenefitsCal and trying to call at 8am if I need to reach them. It's frustrating that we have to work around their broken phone system, but at least now I know I'm not alone in dealing with this! One thing I'm curious about - has anyone tried documenting these phantom calls and filing a complaint with the county about the malfunctioning system? It seems like if enough people reported this issue, they might actually prioritize fixing it. Though knowing government bureaucracy, that's probably wishful thinking... Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and tips. This community really is a lifesaver for navigating all the DPSS chaos!

I'm so relieved to find this thread! I just started getting these phantom calls from DPSS three days ago and was convinced I had somehow messed up my CalFresh application. The first time it happened, I literally ran across my apartment to grab the phone thinking it was finally my eligibility worker calling me back, only to hear dead silence and then the dial tone. It's happened five more times since then! Reading everyone's experiences here is such a huge relief - knowing it's a widespread system glitch and not something I did wrong takes away so much of my anxiety. I was starting to worry they were going to deny my benefits because they "couldn't reach me" even though they're the ones hanging up! I'm definitely going to set up those text notifications in BenefitsCal that @Luca Greco mentioned - that sounds way more reliable than this broken phone system. And I'll try the 8am calling strategy if I need to actually reach someone. Thank you all for sharing your tips and experiences. It's so helpful to know I'm not alone in dealing with this craziness!