CalFresh EBT theft on March 1st - how long for benefit replacement?

same thing happned to me in january!! took almost 3 weeks to get my money back and i had to keep calling and calling. so frustrating

I'm sorry this happened to you. The replacement timeline has changed since early 2025. According to regulations, they're supposed to restore stolen CalFresh benefits within 10 business days after you've completed all the required paperwork. That includes the EBT-2259 theft report form, police report, and signed affidavit. Be sure you've completed everything they requested. Sometimes they don't clearly communicate all the required documents which can delay processing.

my cousins benefits got stolen twice!! she said food banks helped while waiting for replacement. try calling 211 they can tell u where to get emergency food near u

This has been happening to SO MANY people lately! CalFresh needs to fix this huge security problem instead of making us wait forever for our money back. I've been telling everyone to change their PIN monthly and check their balance every day because the thieves are getting more sophisticated. My sister got her benefits stolen twice in three months despite changing her PIN! What's really unfair is how they make US suffer while THEY process the paperwork. Like we're supposed to just not eat for weeks??

I had a similar situation in February and spent FOUR DAYS trying to reach someone at my county office. Always busy signals or disconnections after waiting on hold forever. Finally I found this service called Claimyr that got me through to a real person in about 20 minutes. They basically wait on hold for you and call you when they get a real person. Totally worth it for emergency situations like benefits theft. I showed the video to my sister too: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 and their website is claimyr.com - after I finally talked to someone, I got my stolen benefits back within 8 days.

I work with clients dealing with CalFresh issues, and benefit theft cases have specific timeframes: 1. The county must process your claim within 10 business days after receiving ALL required documentation 2. You must report the theft within 90 days of discovery 3. You're eligible for replacement of benefits stolen up to 90 days before your report date The most common delay is incomplete paperwork. Make sure you've submitted: - Completed EBT-2259 Form - Copy of police report (not just the number) - Photo ID verification - Signed affidavit specifically stating you didn't authorize the transaction If you've provided everything and it's been over 10 business days, you can request an expedited supervisor review of your case. You can also ask about emergency food assistance while waiting.

my mom had her calfresh stole last year but she didn't report it till almost 60 days later cause she thought it was my brother using her card (he wasn't) and they still replaced it for her so don't worry they will give it back just takes time

UPDATE: Finally got through to someone today! Used that Claimyr service and actually spoke to a real person after trying for days. Turns out I was missing some documentation - they needed the actual police report not just the number. Also I had to verify again that I wasn't the one who did the transaction. They said once I email the missing documents I should get the replacement benefits in 7-10 days. They also referred me to two local food banks that can help in the meantime. Thanks everyone for your help!!