CalFresh and PG&E CARE program confusion - unauthorized payment took my food money

This has happened to several clients I've worked with. PG&E sometimes automatically enrolls people in their autopay system when you set up a payment plan, even if you don't explicitly agree to it. You need to call their Billing Department directly at 1-877-660-6789 and specifically ask for a "payment investigation" and explain it was unauthorized. They can usually process refunds within 3-5 business days if you're persistent. In the meantime, you should also contact your CalFresh worker about an emergency allotment due to "sudden and unexpected loss of financial resources" - this falls under that category since it was your benefit money.

omg SAME THING just happened to my cousin last month!!! she had to go to a food bank for 2 weeks bc pge took all her $$ right before xmas too. she got her refund but it took like 10 days which is way too long when u need food. call ur bank too, sometimes they can reverse it faster as unauthorized if u tell them u never signed up for it!!

Have you checked if you're enrolled in the CARE program with PG&E? It gives 20% discount if you're on CalFresh. Sometimes when they enroll you they also switch payment settings. Call them but honestly PG&E billing is THE WORST to deal with.

PGE DOES THIS ALL THE TIME!!!! They took $430 from me last year and I HAD TO FIGHT FOR SIX WEEKS to get it back!!! Their customer service is USELESS and they just transfer you around until you give up. Its CRIMINAL what they do to people who are already struggling. My CalFesh worker was no help either, said they cant issue emergency benefits for "banking issues" and told me to go to a food bank. The whole system is BROKEN!!!!

I've helped several clients with this exact situation. For the immediate food need, you have a few options: 1. Emergency CalFresh supplements are possible, but are usually limited to disaster situations and take 3 days to process at minimum. You'll need to complete a "Request for Expedited Services" form. 2. Call 211 for immediate food assistance in your area - they can connect you with food banks that might have holiday distributions. 3. For the PG&E issue, I've had success helping clients get faster refunds by using Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to a live PG&E billing specialist without the wait. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 - it gets you past the phone tree and to a representative who can actually process refund requests. Make sure to document everything - the date of the unauthorized charge, your previous manual payment, and any confirmation numbers. This will help both with PG&E and if you need to file for emergency benefits.

btw did u check ur email? sometimes they send a thing saying theyre going to do autopay but it looks like spam so nobody reads it. my bf got one and ignored it and same thing happened lol

This is a frustrating situation that happens more often than you'd think. Regarding your CalFresh question specifically - yes, you can request emergency benefits, but it's a bit complicated. To qualify for expedited CalFresh (the emergency process), you typically need to have less than $150 in monthly income and less than $100 in resources. Since you already receive benefits, you'd need to request what's called a "supplement" based on changed circumstances, which is at your county worker's discretion. Calling your county office directly is the fastest way to resolve this, but getting through can be challenging. When you connect, specifically ask about the "immediate need" supplement for existing CalFresh recipients. Be prepared to provide bank statements showing the unauthorized withdrawal and your current balance. One important note: make sure this doesn't impact your regular January recertification if that's coming up. Sometimes these emergency requests can cause confusion with the regular benefit cycle.

Update? Were you able to get through to PG&E or get any emergency food assistance? This happened to me last year (though it was with my car insurance, not PG&E) and I ended up having to wait 7 business days for the refund. The most effective thing was filing a complaint with the Department of Insurance, which might be different for utilities. For me, going to the local CalFresh office in person worked better than calling - they provided a one-time emergency supplement once I showed them my bank statement. Hope you got this resolved!

I'm so glad you're making progress with this! That's exactly what I was hoping would happen with the Claimyr service - it really does help cut through PG&E's phone maze. Three things I'd suggest for your CalFresh office visit tomorrow: 1) Bring printed bank statements showing both the unauthorized withdrawal and your current low balance, 2) Take a photo of your PG&E account showing the credit balance (proves it was their error), and 3) Ask specifically for a "household emergency supplement" rather than just "emergency benefits" - the exact terminology can sometimes make a difference with county workers. Also, if the first worker you speak with says no, politely ask to speak with a supervisor. Different workers sometimes interpret the emergency rules differently. Really hoping you get approved for the supplement - keep us posted!