CalFresh EBT card locking apps not working - alternatives to EBT Edge?

same here the ebt edge app is garbage...crashes every time i try to make account. whats the point of having fraud protection if it dont work?? 🙄

The official EBT Edge app is currently the only authorized app that can lock/unlock your California EBT card. Unfortunately, it has been having issues since the rollout in early 2025. Here are some alternatives to protect your benefits: 1. Call the EBT customer service (866-328-9677) to temporarily freeze your card 2. Only withdraw benefits at bank ATMs inside actual banks, not standalone ATMs 3. Transfer benefits to your bank account in smaller amounts rather than keeping large balances on the card 4. Check your EBT balance regularly through the BenefitsCal website or phone line 5. If you suspect fraud, report it immediately to your county office Also, make sure your phone's operating system is updated - some users report the app works after updating.

i just check my balance every morning tbh. if anything looks off i call right away. the apps never work right anyway and i heard some third party ones actually steal your info! careful what you download!!

I had the same problem with the EBT Edge app a few months ago. After trying to register for days and getting nowhere, I finally got through to an actual human at my county office who helped reset something on their end. Try using Claimyr (claimyr.com) to reach a CalFresh worker directly - they got me connected in under 10 minutes when I'd been trying for days. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 The worker explained that the app has been having database issues when too many people try to register at once. She helped me register over the phone, and now I can lock/unlock my card easily. Much better than checking my balance obsessively!

The EBT Edge app is so frustrating! It took me like 7 attempts over several weeks to get mine working. One trick that finally worked for me was using a different email address than what I had registered with BenefitsCal. For some reason, the systems don't communicate properly. Also, when you enter your card info, make sure you don't include any spaces in the card number. And try registering very early in the morning (like 5am) when server traffic is low. That's when mine finally went through. I can now lock/unlock my card in seconds and it's saved me so much stress since I had $750 stolen from my account last year and it took 3 months to get it back.

The technology roll-out for the EBT Edge app has been problematic across California since its launch. While it's the only officially authorized application for locking your EBT card, I can share what has been working for many clients I assist with CalFresh: 1. Try registration using WiFi instead of cellular data 2. Clear your phone's cache before attempting registration 3. Use the desktop version through BenefitsCal as an alternative 4. Ensure your identity verification details EXACTLY match what's on file with the county (even minor discrepancies cause errors) If you continue having issues, request your county worker to update your profile in the CalFresh database to enable the "alternate verification protocol" - this is something many workers don't know about but can help bypass the app registration issues.

u kno wut i gave up on the app & just withdraw all my benefits on the 1st now & keep cash at home...cant trust the system anyway lol

Update: I tried registering at 5:30am today like someone suggested and IT WORKED!! The app seems to be functioning now and I successfully locked and unlocked my card as a test. Such a relief! Thanks everyone for the suggestions. For anyone else struggling - definitely try early morning hours when there's less traffic on their servers.

Great to hear you got it working @Freya Thomsen! I've been having the same issues with the EBT Edge app for weeks now. Going to try the early morning registration trick tomorrow. Quick question - after you got registered, did you notice any lag time when locking/unlocking your card? I'm worried about being stuck at checkout if there's a delay. Also, does the app send you notifications when the card gets locked/unlocked successfully?

I work at a county office and wanted to add some clarification about the EBT Edge app issues. We've been getting tons of calls about registration problems, and here's what our IT team has found: The app works best on phones with Android 10+ or iOS 14+. If your phone is older, that might be part of the problem. Also, make sure you're entering your SSN exactly as it appears in our system - sometimes there are formatting differences that cause the identity verification to fail. One thing people don't realize is that you can also lock your card through the BenefitsCal website on a computer if the mobile app won't work. It's not as convenient as having it on your phone, but it's better than nothing while you're troubleshooting the app. If anyone is still having issues after trying all these suggestions, you can also ask your county worker to put a "manual lock" on your account temporarily. This means we freeze it on our end until you call to unlock it. It's not ideal for frequent use, but it's good protection if you're going to be away from home or worried about fraud.