CalFresh EBT card skimmed and benefits used at Sam's Club in Illinois - claim denied!

THIS IS HAPPENING EVERYWHERE!!! My sister had $420 stolen last month from her EBT account - used at a Walmart in Georgia when she lives in Fresno!! They denied her claim too saying 'the pin was entered correctly' like HELLO these scammers know how to steal pins too! The county office is USELESS - they wouldn't even let us speak to a supervisor. I think there's a huge scam ring targeting CalFresh recipients and the state doesn't want to admit it because then they'd have to pay everyone back. You need to file a formal appeal - don't just accept the denial. The form is called 'DPA 558' I think.

This is unfortunately becoming a very common issue with EBT cards because they still use outdated magnetic stripe technology instead of chip technology. When your benefits are stolen through skimming, here's the proper process to follow: 1. File a police report (very important for appeal documentation) 2. Submit the EBT-2259 form for benefit theft within 10 days of discovery 3. If denied, file the DPA 558 Appeal form within 90 days of the denial notice 4. Include any evidence showing you couldn't have made those purchases (work schedules, other receipts from that day showing you were in California, etc.) The state should be replacing these benefits under the federal SNAP EBT Theft Replacement policy, but many counties are denying initial claims hoping people won't appeal. Don't give up!

Same thing happened to me!! Sam's Club in Illinois but mine was in Springfield not Chicago. They took $370 and my claim got denied too. The county worker told me they've had like 50 claims just in our county for Illinois Sam's Clubs in the past month. There's definitely some kind of organized fraud happening. I'm still fighting my claim.

I work for a nonprofit that helps people with CalFresh issues, and we've seen a huge increase in skimming fraud cases. Here's what you need to know: 1. California passed a law requiring benefits stolen between January 1, 2023 and September 30, 2025 to be replaced 2. Many counties are incorrectly denying legitimate claims 3. For your appeal, you need to: - Submit any evidence showing you were physically in California - Explain why you don't have a Sam's Club membership if applicable - Request the electronic transaction records showing IP addresses if online purchases - Ask for a note in your case file about the pattern of Sam's Club Illinois fraud I'd recommend contacting your local Legal Aid office as they can represent you at the appeal hearing for free.

When I had my benefits stolen (used in Florida!), I couldn't get through to anyone at the county office for WEEKS. Finally I discovered a service called Claimyr that got me through to a live person at CalFresh in under 5 minutes! It was honestly such a relief after trying for so long. Check out their website at claimyr.com - they have a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 The CalFresh worker I reached told me that skimming has become their #1 reported issue, and she helped me file the proper appeal paperwork right over the phone. My replacement benefits were in my account 6 days later! Don't give up fighting this!

guys i think i figured out how these scammers are doing it! i saw a news article about skimming devices that thieves put over the regular card readers at stores and gas stations. they look totally normal but copy your card info when you swipe. then they make fake cards with our info!!! i always use the self-checkout at Food4Less... maybe thats where mine got skimmed??

my cousin had his ebt skimmed too but they used it at target in texas, not sams club. he got his money back but took like 2 months of fighting. he had to send in his work timecard showing he was at work during transactions + bus pass history. maybe you can show your phone gps history or something to prove you were in cali??

Update: After helping several clients with this exact issue (Sam's Club in Illinois), I've learned that the state is now investigating this as a coordinated fraud ring. If you call your county office, specifically mention Case #FSF-2025-876 which is the statewide fraud investigation number for this specific scam. This might help expedite your replacement benefits. Also, until this is resolved, here are some protective steps: 1. Change your PIN immediately after benefits are deposited 2. Transfer benefits to a separate account if possible 3. Consider using the BenefitsCal app to freeze/unfreeze your card between uses 4. Examine all card readers before inserting your card (look for loose parts) I'm sorry you're dealing with this. The system should be protecting vulnerable families, not making them prove they were victims.

i got my benefits back after my card was skimmed!!! took 6 weeks tho. what worked was i went to the actual county office in person with all my evidence. brought my work schedule, bus receipts, even a affadavit from my neighbor who saw me that day. in-person they actually listen better than on phone. good luck!!