CalFresh EBT card locked at midnight - anyone successfully use cards after calling to remove block?

Yes, I've used mine at midnight several times. The issue might be that there are actually TWO different types of blocks they can place on cards. There's the standard after-hours restriction (usually 11pm-6am) and there's also a fraud protection geographic block that activates during unusual hours. When you called, they probably only removed the first one. Call again and specifically ask them to remove BOTH the time restriction AND the unusual activity protection during overnight hours. Make it clear it's a regular shopping pattern for you due to work.

i use mine at 24 hour safeway all the time even at like 2am never had a problem maybe its a walmart thing they system might batch process or somethin

Omg this happened to me!!! I was SO EMBARRASSED standing there at 12:30am with a cart full of groceries and my card getting declined!! The cashier was giving me this look like I was trying to do something shady! I called the next day super mad and they said something about "fraud protection during unusual hours" and removed it, but I've been too scared to try again late at night. Following this thread to see if anyone has actually gotten it fixed...

This is actually a semi-common issue with CalFresh EBT cards. The system has several layers of fraud protection that can prevent after-hours usage. When you call, you need to specifically request: 1. Removal of the time-of-day restriction (this is the basic 11pm-6am block) 2. Exemption from the unusual activity fraud monitoring during overnight hours 3. A note on your account that your regular shopping pattern includes overnight purchases It usually takes 24-48 hours for these changes to fully update in their system. Also, some retailers have their own batch processing times for EBT transactions that might cause issues around midnight specifically - that's actually a store system issue rather than a CalFresh restriction. If you're still having trouble getting through to a representative who understands what you need, I'd recommend trying Claimyr (claimyr.com). They can help you skip the phone queue and connect with an actual CalFresh worker who can make these specific changes to your account. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 - I used it when I had a similar issue with geographical restrictions on my card.

YOU KNOW WHY THEY DO THIS RIGHT???? It's because they think poor people shouldn't be shopping at night!! They assume if you're using benefits after midnight you must be doing something wrong! I've fought with them MULTIPLE TIMES about this exact issue. They'll say they removed the block and then magically it's still there next time I try to shop. It's ridiculous that they make us jump through hoops just to access OUR BENEFITS on OUR SCHEDULE. Some of us work nights! Some of us can only shop late! This kind of control over when we can buy FOOD is just another way they treat benefit recipients like children.

I had this exact problem last year and it was SO frustrating! I work night shift at the hospital and would try to shop at 1am after my shift. What finally worked for me was asking to speak to a supervisor when I called EBT customer service. The regular reps don't always have access to change all the security settings. The supervisor was able to put a permanent note on my account AND remove both types of restrictions. I haven't had any problems since then, even when shopping at 2-3am. Good luck!!

Wait I'm confused - is this different from the hold they put on new benefits? Because I thought we couldn't use the new month's benefits until like 6am on the deposit day? Is that a different thing? Now I'm worried I've been waiting until morning unnecessarily 😳

I know this might sound odd, but have you tried using it at a different Walmart? I had a similar issue and it turned out it wasn't my EBT card with a block - it was that specific Walmart location having issues processing EBT during their nightly system updates. When I went to a different 24-hour Walmart about 15 miles away, my card worked fine even at 1am. Might be worth trying a different store before going through all the hassle with customer service.

I've had this same frustrating experience! What worked for me was calling the EBT customer service line and asking them to check if there are any "transaction velocity limits" on my account in addition to the regular time restrictions. Apparently some accounts have limits on how many transactions you can do in a short time period, and this can kick in right around midnight when the system is processing the new benefit deposits. The rep told me this was causing my card to look "suspicious" to their fraud detection system. Once they adjusted those settings along with removing the after-hours block, I've been able to shop at midnight without issues. Also, try waiting until about 12:30am instead of right at midnight - sometimes the benefit loading process takes a few extra minutes to fully complete in their system.