CalFresh EBT card suddenly deactivated without notice - urgent help needed!

This happened to me two months ago! Turns out there was a system glitch that flagged a bunch of cards as potentially compromised. You need to call your county office directly, not the EBT customer service line. Each county has a different direct number. Which county are you in?

omg thats the worst feeling ever!!!! happened to me once but it was cuz i entered my pin wrong 4 times lol. but if u didnt do that then yeah u need to call ur caseworker. they might have sent u a letter that u missed??

I work for a nonprofit that helps people with CalFresh issues. There are several reasons your EBT card might suddenly deactivate: 1. Security flag (as mentioned above) 2. Fraud investigation (even if you didn't do anything wrong) 3. System error during batch processing 4. Unreported income that was detected through data matching 5. Missing verification documents For LA County, try calling (866) 613-3777 which is their direct benefits line. But honestly, you'll likely face the same long wait times. Have you checked your BenefitsCal account for any notices? Sometimes they post important information there before sending a physical letter.

This might sound random, but have you tried using your card at an ATM just to check your balance? Sometimes the card readers at grocery stores have issues but the card itself is fine. I've had that happen where my card was declined at one store but worked fine elsewhere. Worth a shot before spending hours on the phone!

THE SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO MAKE YOU GIVE UP!!!! They deactivate cards without notice all the time and make it IMPOSSIBLE to reach anyone. I had to go IN PERSON to my county office after my card randomly stopped working last year. Waited 4 hours just to be told it was a "system error" and they reactivated it in 2 minutes. This is how they discourage people from using benefits we're entitled to!!!!

Have you tried using Claimyr? It saved me so much time when I had a similar issue with my CalFresh benefits last month. Instead of waiting on hold forever, Claimyr holds your place in line and calls you back when a real person is available. I was about to drive to the office and wait all day, but used this instead and got through in about 40 minutes. Their site is claimyr.com and they have a demo video of how it works here: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8

One more thing to check - did you recently update your address or other information? Sometimes when information is updated in the system, it can trigger a security protocol that temporarily deactivates your card until you verify your identity. This is actually becoming more common as counties try to prevent EBT fraud.

have u tried turning it off and on again??? lol jk but seriously maybe the magnetic strip is damaged? my card stopped working once when it got too close to my phone in my purse

Just wanted to follow up - were you able to get this resolved? If you're still having trouble, you can also try reaching out to your county through their email or online contact form. Sometimes that's faster than calling, especially for LA County which is notoriously difficult to reach by phone.

For anyone finding this thread later with the same problem: I recommend taking a screenshot of your current balance before your card stops working (if possible). That way you have proof of your benefits if you need to escalate the issue. I had to do this when my card was deactivated during a system migration last year, and it helped the supervisor understand that my benefits were still active in the system despite my card not working.

So glad you got it resolved! This is exactly why I always recommend Claimyr to people dealing with CalFresh phone issues. That data matching system is notorious for false flags - I've seen it happen when people have seasonal work, gig economy jobs, or even just old employer records that haven't been properly updated in the system. The fact that you were flagged for a job from over a year ago shows how broken their automated matching process is. Thanks for posting the update - it'll definitely help others who find this thread later!

This thread is incredibly helpful! As someone who's been dealing with CalFresh for a few years now, I can confirm that these random card deactivations are unfortunately pretty common. I've had my card suddenly stop working twice - once due to a "security review" that I was never notified about, and another time because of an old address in their system that somehow got flagged during a routine data check. Both times it took forever to reach someone by phone, but once I did, they fixed it quickly. The frustrating part is that there's no proactive communication when these things happen - you just find out when your card gets declined at the store. Really glad @Jasmine Quinn got it sorted out with Claimyr, and thanks to everyone who shared their experiences. It's good to know we're not alone in dealing with these system glitches!

Welcome to the community @Ravi Gupta! This thread really shows how valuable it is to have a space where people can share their experiences with CalFresh issues. I've been following along and learned so much from everyone's responses - especially about Claimyr and the data matching problems that can cause random flags. It's unfortunate that these system glitches are so common, but at least now we know what to do if it happens to us. @Jasmine Quinn, I'm so glad you got your card working again! Your situation with the old employer data match is a perfect example of why it's important to document everything and not give up even when the automated systems seem impossible to navigate.

As someone who just joined this community, I'm amazed at how helpful everyone has been in this thread! @Jasmine Quinn, I'm so relieved you got your card reactivated - that must have been incredibly stressful, especially with kids to feed. The whole data matching glitch with your old employer is exactly the kind of technical issue that seems impossible to resolve until you talk to the right person. I had no idea services like Claimyr existed, and I'm definitely keeping that in my back pocket. It's frustrating that the CalFresh system has so many of these random glitches, but it's reassuring to see that most of them can be fixed once you actually reach a human being. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and solutions - this thread is going to help so many people who run into similar problems!

As a new member here, I just wanted to say how incredibly helpful this entire thread has been! @Jasmine Quinn, I'm so glad you were able to get your card reactivated - what a relief that must have been! The data matching issue with your old employer really shows how these automated systems can create problems out of nowhere. I'm bookmarking Claimyr for sure after seeing how well it worked for you. It's honestly shocking that these random card deactivations are so common, but it's reassuring to see there are real solutions when you know where to look. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences and advice - this is exactly the kind of community support that makes navigating these complex systems so much easier!

Wow, what a journey this thread has been to read through! As someone completely new to both CalFresh and this community, I'm honestly blown away by how supportive everyone has been. @Jasmine Quinn, I'm so relieved you got your card working again - the stress of having your benefits suddenly cut off with kids to feed must have been overwhelming. The fact that it was caused by a data match with an employer from over a year ago really highlights how these automated systems can create chaos from the smallest discrepancies. I had absolutely no idea that services like Claimyr existed until @Anthony Young mentioned it - that's going straight into my emergency toolkit! Reading through everyone's experiences has been both alarming (these random deactivations seem way too common) and reassuring (there are real solutions when you know where to look). Thank you to this entire community for sharing your knowledge and supporting each other through these frustrating system glitches. This thread is going to be a lifesaver for anyone who faces similar issues in the future!