CalFresh EBT benefits stolen - different city transaction but I never went there!

omg this happened to my cousin last month!!! thieves are getting worse with these card skimmers. you DEFINITELY need to file a police report asap and call your county office (not just the ebt line). good luck getting through tho lol

I'm so sorry this happened to you. Unfortunately EBT theft has become more common. Here's what you need to do immediately: 1. Call the EBT customer service (1-877-328-9677) and report the card as stolen 2. Get a new card issued ASAP 3. File a police report - this is REQUIRED for the claim 4. File a benefit theft claim with your county CalFresh office within 10 days 5. Submit the claim form (EBT 2259) with a copy of the police report CalFresh will replace stolen benefits in most cases, but it can take 2-3 weeks for processing. I recommend also contacting local food banks in the meantime to help bridge the gap.

THE SAME THING HAPPENED TO ME LAST YEAR!!! I was in Fresno and suddenly got an alert about purchases in San Diego!!! The system is BROKEN and the county doesn't care. I had to go to THREE different food banks while waiting almost 5 WEEKS for them to "investigate" before I got any benefits back. MAKE SURE you keep calling them every single day or your claim will get "lost" like mine did twice!!!

I work with CalFresh clients regularly, and unfortunately, EBT theft is increasing. California implemented a new law (AB 1879) in 2023 that improved the benefit replacement process. Here's what you need to know: 1. File your claim within 10 days of discovering the theft using form EBT 2259 2. Include the police report (required for replacement) 3. Counties must process these claims within 10 business days 4. Benefits should be replaced directly onto your new EBT card Important: Make absolutely sure your contact information is up-to-date with the county so they can reach you if they need additional information.

When this happened to me last fall, I spent THREE DAYS trying to get through to my county office before giving up. Eventually found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to a real person within 20 minutes. They have a demo video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8. Saved me hours of frustration and I was able to submit my claim that same day. The peace of mind was worth it since every day counts when filing these theft claims.

make sure u change ur pin number too!! sometimes they clone the cards with skimmers. My sister had her benefits stolen 2 months in a row because she didn't change her pin after the first time. also check if any stores u shop at have skimmers. happened to lots of people at my local grocery store because they had a skimmer on their card reader for weekssss

10-day window is from when you discovered the theft, not when it actually occurred. You can download form EBT 2259 from the BenefitsCal website and submit it either by uploading it to your BenefitsCal account, faxing it, or delivering it in person to your county office. I recommend uploading it if possible as you'll have a digital record of submission. Also, for immediate food assistance while waiting, call 211 and ask about emergency food resources in your area.

DONT FORGET TO ASK FOR EXPEDITED PROCESSING!!! They won't offer it unless you specifically say your family has NO FOOD and NO MONEY to buy any! I had to literally tell them my kids were going hungry before they marked my claim as "priority" - the system is designed to make you give up!!!

One additional suggestion - if you have the transaction details showing the suspicious location, print that out to include with your police report. Also, when you file the report, make sure it lists "EBT fraud/theft" specifically, as some officers may not be familiar with the proper categorization. This helps ensure your claim meets all requirements for replacement. Most counties are processing these claims faster now (often within 5-7 business days) due to the new legislation, but having complete documentation speeds things up.