CalFresh EBT card theft by HHSA employees? Anyone else's benefits disappearing?

I understand your frustration, but before accusing county employees, let's look at the most common ways EBT theft happens: 1. Card skimming devices at legitimate stores (even major grocers can be targeted) 2. Shoulder surfing when entering your PIN 3. Phishing scams via text/email claiming to be from CalFresh The most effective protection steps are: - Change your PIN through the official EBT app/website before benefits deposit - Cover the keypad when entering your PIN - Never respond to texts/emails asking for EBT card info - Check for card skimmers (wiggle the card reader before inserting) You should file a formal theft report with both the local police and EBT customer service (1-877-328-9677). Benefits stolen after June 2023 can sometimes be replaced following the federal rule changes.

omg this happened to my sister too!!! all her benefits gone the same day they came in last month. she called ebt customer service and they just gave her the runaround for 2 hours. she thinks someone at the county office is targeting families with larger benefits amounts. scary stuff!!!!

I've worked adjacent to benefit systems for years, and I can tell you it's extremely unlikely that HHSA employees are stealing benefits. The systems have robust security and tracking. What IS happening is increasingly sophisticated skimming operations targeting EBT cardholders. These criminal rings: - Track benefit deposit schedules (they're predictable) - Install nearly invisible skimmers at busy grocery stores - Use hidden cameras to capture PINs - Create cloned cards to drain accounts immediately after deposits The timing seems suspicious because thieves know benefits are loaded in the first 10 days of each month according to case number. They specifically wait for deposit days to maximize theft. Report to EBT Fraud (1-800-786-9199) and file a police report immediately. Since 2023, California has improved benefit replacement policies for theft victims.

MY BENFITS GOT STOLEN TOO!!!! $1,100 GONE IN 20 MINUTES LAST MONTH AT SOME STORE IN FRESNO IVE NEVER BEEN TO!!!!! I LIVE IN SACRAMENTO!!!!! I THINK YOUR RIGHT ITS PROBABLY SOMEONE WHO WORKS THERE. my case worker is always so rude to me anyway, wouldn't surprise me if she's stealing from clients she doesn't like. when i called about it they made me feel like i did something wrong, asked if i "shared my card with anyone" like im stupid. I KNOW THE DIFFERNTCE BETWEEN SHARING MY CARD AND HAVING MY MONEY STOLEN!!!!

I had something similar happen in January, and I spent WEEKS trying to reach someone at CalFresh who could actually help. Kept getting transferred, disconnected, or told to call different numbers. Finally found Claimyr (claimyr.com) which got me through to an actual EBT fraud specialist in about 15 minutes. They have this service that calls the EBT office for you and navigates the phone tree, then calls you once they've reached a real person. Saved me hours of frustration and I finally got my case resolved. There's a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 I was skeptical at first but was desperate after so many failed attempts to reach someone. Definitely worth it to get my $740 in stolen benefits back.

not saying it is or isnt county workers but seems weird how many ppl having this exact same problem rn. my neighbor had $900 taken 2 months in a row and they finally gave her one months worth back after she went to the office in person like 4 times. they definitely try to make it hard to get ur money back hope u get urs

I don't think it's county employees specifically, but there HAS been a massive surge in EBT theft lately. The California Department of Social Services actually issued a warning about it last month. Thieves are getting more sophisticated—they're placing skimmers on card readers that are nearly impossible to detect. The critical steps you need to take immediately are: 1. File an official theft report with EBT Customer Service (1-877-328-9677) 2. File a police report and get a copy of the report number 3. Submit a benefit replacement request to your county office with both report numbers 4. Contact your Assembly Member's office for assistance (they can expedite) California's EBT theft replacement policy improved in 2025, but you must report within 30 days of the theft. Don't delay! Also—check if your card has the new chip technology. The old magnetic stripe cards are much easier to clone. You can request a chip card replacement through BenefitsCal.

WHY ISNT THE COUNTY DOING MORE TO PROTECT US????!!! THEY KNOW THIS IS HAPPENINGG!!!!! There should be TEXT ALERTS for every transaction over $100 and they should LOCK CARDS after suspicious activity!!!!! And they should REPLACE OUR MONEY FASTER!!! Its been 6 WEEKS and im still waiting!!!!!!

my friend works at the grocery store and she says they find skimmers on their card readers like once a month now!!! the thieves put them on super early in the morning when the store first opens and its hard to notice unless ur looking for it. she said ebt cards r targeted cause they dont have the same protections as regular bank cards

OK so I just got back from the police station and filed a report. The officer said they've had DOZENS of similar cases reported in our county over the last few months! So clearly this is a widespread issue! What's weird is when I asked if they're investigating county employees, he got really awkward and just said "we're looking at all possibilities" but wouldn't give me a straight answer. Feels like they're avoiding pointing fingers at the county! I'm going to call the EBT customer service tomorrow, but based on your experiences it sounds like I'll be fighting for weeks to get my money back. This is so frustrating when my kids are going hungry NOW. At least I know I'm not alone or crazy. Thank you all for the advice and support.