CalFresh benefits used at out-of-state Sam's Club - is this EBT fraud?

This happened to me last year!!! You need to report it ASAP as EBT fraud. Call the EBT customer service again at 1-877-328-9677 and keep trying until you get a human. Tell them you need to report FRAUD and that should get you through faster. They should deactivate your current card immediately and send you a new one. Then you have to contact your county office separately to report the fraud for benefits replacement. Ugh the system is so broken - they make us jump through so many hoops when WE are the victims here!!

Sorry this happened to you. This is definitely EBT fraud and you need to act quickly. Here's what you need to do: 1. Call the EBT Customer Service (1-877-328-9677) to report the card stolen and have it deactivated 2. File a CalFresh theft report with your county office - they should have a specific form for benefit replacement 3. You don't necessarily need a police report, but it can help strengthen your case 4. Request an emergency replacement of benefits due to household hardship By law, they have 10 days to process your claim, but emergency replacements can sometimes be processed faster. Make sure you have your transaction history showing the out-of-state purchase when you submit your claim. Keep all documentation and take note of who you speak with each time.

omg this same thing happened to my cousin!!! someone stole her benefits at a walmart in arizona when she was home the whole time. she had to fight for like 3 weeks to get her benefits back. its def happening more now with those card skimmers things they put on atms and stuff. mayb check if any stores u use have those?? good luck!!

had the exact prblem last month, except mine was used in Oregon. make sure u document EVERYTHING and take screenshots of ur EBT acct showing the transactions. the county workers will make u fill out an affidavit stating u didnt authorize the transactions and didnt give ur card to anyone. they gave me skeptical vibes like i was tryna scam them but i got my $ back after like 2 weeks

I help clients with EBT fraud cases frequently. What you're describing is unfortunately becoming more common with card skimming devices. Here's the correct process: 1. Call the EBT Customer Service immediately at 1-877-328-9677 to report the fraud and have your card deactivated 2. Request a form called "EBT 2259 - Statement of Facts for Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) Card Stolen Benefits" 3. Submit this form to your county office with as much detail as possible 4. You can request expedited processing due to hardship While you wait for resolution, contact your local food bank for emergency assistance. Also, in the future, consider changing your PIN regularly and checking for card skimmers at stores where you use your EBT card. If you're having trouble reaching someone at the county office, I'd recommend trying Claimyr (claimyr.com). They can get you through to a live person at the CalFresh office usually within 10-15 minutes instead of waiting on hold for hours. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 that shows how it works. Might be worth it in this situation when you need to get this resolved quickly.

After u get ur emergency benefits make sure u learn how to protect ur EBT card better!!! Never shop at sketchy stores and check for skimmers on the card readers. I always cover my hand when entering PIN and check my balance like every other day to catch anything suspicious. Also dont keep all ur benefits on the card at once if possible - buy some shelf stable food right when benefits hit so if ur card does get skimmed u dont lose everything.

wait ur CalFresh benefits worked at Sams Club??? I thought u needed a membership for sams club? maybe thats how they knew it wasnt u using the card!

make sure when u talk to the county office u specifically say the words "i need an emergency replacement of calfresh benefits due to household hardship" thats the magic phrase that gets them to speed up the process!! otherwise they will just put u on the normal timeline which can take forever