CalFresh EBT theft - DPSS took claim by phone but gave no reference number - legit?
Really stressed out right now. Woke up Tuesday to find all my CalFresh benefits drained from my EBT card ($875 - our entire month's food money for my family of 4). I called the EBT customer service who said I needed to file a theft claim with DPSS directly. After 3 hours on hold with LA County, I finally got through to someone who took my claim over the phone. The weird part is they said I don't need a police report or claim number, which doesn't match what I've read online about EBT theft claims. The rep also couldn't give me ANY reference number for our call or the claim, which seems super sketchy. Now I'm wondering if this was even legitimate or if I need to start over somewhere else? Has anyone successfully filed an EBT theft claim by phone? Did you get a reference number? How long did it take to get your benefits back? My kids are counting on this and I'm getting nervous.
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Elijah O'Reilly
sorry that happened to u. when my benefits got stolen last year ($620) i had to file police report AND go in person to the office. they never did phone claims back then, but maybe things changed? did they at least ask for ur case # and verify ur identity with like DOB and stuff?
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Natalie Adams
•Yes they verified my identity with case number, DOB, address, and last 4 of SSN. And they asked details about when I last used the card and when I noticed the money was gone. But the whole 'no reference number' thing has me super worried. Did you eventually get your money back when yours was stolen?
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Amara Torres
THE SAME THING HAPPENED TO ME LAST MONTH!! They took $932 from my account over 3 transactions at stores I've never been to. I called DPSS and they said they ABSOLUTELY need a police report. The worker gave me a claim number and said it would be 10 business days to investigate. Something sounds fishy with your situation - I would call back and talk to someone else ASAP!
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Natalie Adams
•That's exactly what I was afraid of. I'm going to call back tomorrow morning for sure. Did you end up getting your benefits back? How long did it actually take?
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Amara Torres
•Yes I got it back but it took 27 days not the 10 they promised. They also made me fill out an affidavit of stolen benefits form which I had to sign and return. Definitely call back and get that paperwork started!
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Olivia Van-Cleve
I work with CalFresh clients regularly, and there have been some recent changes to the EBT theft claim process in California. As of January 2025, DPSS has been piloting a streamlined phone claim process for certain types of theft (specifically when the physical card wasn't stolen but the benefits were electronically removed). However, you should always receive a claim reference number for tracking purposes. When you call back: 1. Ask specifically for the "EBT Benefit Theft Unit" 2. Request a claim reference number 3. Ask about the required documentation for your specific type of theft 4. Get a timeline for resolution 5. Ask for an email confirmation of your claim Keep in mind that recent policy changes allow DPSS to replace stolen benefits for incidents reported within 30 days, up to two months of benefits per federal fiscal year. Make sure to also immediately change your PIN if you haven't already.
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Natalie Adams
•Thank you so much for this detailed information! I'll ask specifically for the EBT Benefit Theft Unit tomorrow. I did change my PIN right away, but I'm worried because the rep I spoke with didn't seem to know much about the process at all. Do you know if the timeline for getting benefits back is similar to what the other commenter mentioned (around 27 days)? My family really can't go that long without food assistance.
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Olivia Van-Cleve
•The official timeframe is 10-15 business days for investigation, but it can sometimes take longer if there are complications with your case. Since you have children in the household, ask about emergency replacement benefits - in some counties, they can issue a partial replacement while your claim is being processed if you have no other resources for food. Bring this up specifically when you call back, as not all representatives will offer this option unless asked.
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Mason Kaczka
i had my calfresh stolen 2x last year. first time i filed police report, second time they said i didnt need 1. both times i got reference numbers tho. call back ASAP and get that reference # so u can follow up!!! also check ur bank accounts if u have any connected to that card somehow.
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Sophia Russo
I went through something similar with my mom's CalFresh account last month. The biggest issue we had was actually getting through to someone at DPSS to handle the claim properly. After multiple disconnects and hours on hold, we found a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got us connected to a live DPSS worker in about 10 minutes instead of the usual 3+ hour wait. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 Once we actually got to speak with someone knowledgeable, they explained that the process has changed recently. Some types of theft claims can be processed by phone, but you should ALWAYS get a confirmation number. The person we spoke with set everything up correctly and my mom had her benefits replaced within 12 days.
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Natalie Adams
•Thank you for the tip! I'll check out that service tomorrow if I run into more hold time problems. It's frustrating enough dealing with the theft without having to spend hours just trying to reach someone. Did they need to send any forms to your mom after the phone call?
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Sophia Russo
•Yes, they sent an affidavit form through BenefitsCal that she had to digitally sign. The worker also told us to upload any additional evidence we had (screenshots of unauthorized transactions, etc.) through the BenefitsCal portal. Check your messages there too - sometimes they communicate through that system instead of by phone.
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Evelyn Xu
Sometimes the county workers don't know what they're doing tbh. Last year I had something similar happen where a worker took my info for a different problem but didn't give me any reference number, and when I called back nobody could find any record of my previous call. I'd suggest going to the office in person if you can, or at least calling back and specifically asking for a supervisor who handles EBT theft claims. At minimum you should get some kind of confirmation number and a timeline.
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Dominic Green
This happened to me in December 2024, and here's what I learned through the process: 1. California passed new regulations effective January 2025 allowing more EBT theft claims to be processed by phone due to the huge increase in skimming fraud. 2. However, EVERY legitimate claim should receive: - A claim reference number - An approximate timeline for resolution - Information about what documentation might be needed - Instructions for checking claim status 3. The no police report thing CAN be legitimate for certain types of electronic theft, but only if they've documented the details thoroughly. I would definitely call back, but try to reach a different worker or ask for the EBT theft department specifically. My claim took 15 days to process, and I received retroactive benefits for what was stolen. While you're waiting, check with local food banks or ask about emergency assistance - your family shouldn't go hungry while this gets resolved.
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Natalie Adams
•Thank you for sharing your experience - this is really helpful! I'll definitely call back tomorrow and ask for the EBT theft department specifically. Did they send you any forms to fill out after your phone call? And great idea about the food banks - there's one near us that I can check out while waiting for this to be resolved.
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Elijah O'Reilly
keep us updated after u call back! now im worried cuz my cousin just reported theft last week and didnt get reference # either...
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