CalFresh benefits stolen from EBT card AGAIN - how to report theft faster this time?

omg this happened 2 me too last yr!! took 6 weeks to get $ back and they kept saying they were "investigating" whatever that means 🙄

I'm sorry this is happening again. There's been a huge increase in EBT skimming theft in California. When benefits are stolen, you need to: 1) Call the EBT customer service immediately to report it and have your card deactivated (877-328-9677), 2) Request a new card, 3) File a police report, 4) Contact your county office to complete the EBT-2259 benefit theft form, and 5) Submit all documentation ASAP. Most importantly, make sure you're specifically asking for "expedited replacement" due to hardship. They can prioritize your case if you emphasize you have children and no food. The standard investigation takes 30 days, but expedited cases can be processed in 5-10 business days.

This is getting ridiculous with the EBT theft everywhere! Did you use your card at sketchy stores or ATMs? Sometimes they have skimmers installed. Also check if your card is the new chip version with the gold square - those are harder to clone.

When this happened to me last year, I spent THREE DAYS trying to reach someone at the county office. Kept getting voicemail or disconnected after waiting for hours. I finally found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to a live person at the CalFresh office in about 20 minutes. Worth every penny because I was able to explain my situation directly to a caseworker who started the expedited replacement process right away. You can see how it works in their video: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8. Definitely helped me get my benefits back faster than just waiting for someone to call me back.

THE SAME EXACT THING HAPPENED TO ME!!! They stole my benefits TWO MONTHS IN A ROW! I think it's an inside job or something. The county workers act like we're lying but how come they can't stop this??? The system is completely broken and they don't care that families are going hungry while they take their sweet time doing "investigations.

When my mom had her benefits stolen last year, what helped speed things up was going IN PERSON to the county office with all her documentation. She brought her ID, the police report number, bank statements showing she didn't withdraw the money, and proof of hardship (past-due utility bills). The worker was able to process her expedited replacement request right there. She got emergency benefits loaded within 3 days and the full replacement within 2 weeks. Much faster than waiting on the phone.

have u considered its maybe someone in ur house? not accusin but sometimes its ppl closer than we think. my sister had this happen n it turned out her teenage son memorized her pin n was using it

Quick update on EBT theft prevention: California has been rolling out increased security measures for EBT accounts. Make sure you've done these things to protect your replacement benefits: 1. Create an online account at www.ebt.ca.gov if you haven't already 2. Enable two-factor authentication for your online account 3. Set up transaction alerts via text message 4. Use the "lock card" feature in the app when not actively shopping 5. Change your PIN immediately after receiving your new card Also, when your case is being processed, ask your worker about emergency food assistance through local food banks. Many counties can provide immediate referrals while your EBT theft claim is being processed.

This is becoming such a huge problem! I read in the news that California is planning to eventually replace all EBT cards with the newer versions that have tap-to-pay and better security. But who knows when that'll actually happen 🙄