CalFresh card suddenly cancelled but benefits still deposited - what's happening?

This happened to me last month! Turns out there was a security issue with my card. The county office had flagged it as potentially compromised (someone might have tried to get my info or something), so they cancelled the card but kept my benefits safe in the account. You need to call your county worker directly and request a replacement card. The good news is your benefits are still there, just waiting for you to get a new card.

thts weird usally they send u a letter if they cancel ur card. did u check ur mail? sometimes the letters look like junk mail so i throw them away by accidnt lol

The EXACT same thing happened to me but I couldn't access my CalWorks money! Called and called for THREE DAYS and couldn't get through to anyone at the county office. Just endless recorded messages and then disconnects! I was about to give up when someone told me about this service called Claimyr that got me through to a real person in 20 minutes. They connect you to a caseworker without waiting on hold forever. Check out their website claimyr.com or see how it works at https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 Once I got through, they explained my card was flagged because I used it in a different county when I was visiting my sister. They fixed it right away once I actually talked to someone.

This happened to me twice!!! The system is completely broken. They say they're "protecting" us but really they're just creating more problems. I had to feed my kids RAMEN for THREE DAYS waiting for a new card!!

Sometimes cards get deactivated if they're inactive for too long too. Did you not use your card for a while before this happened? Anyway you can get a temporary card at the county office same day usually, they print them right there. Bring your ID though, they got strict about that in 2024!

I'm a volunteer who helps people with CalFresh issues, and this is actually becoming more common. Here's what might be happening: 1. Security flags: Counties are implementing stricter fraud detection, so unusual buying patterns or potential data breaches can trigger automatic card cancellations 2. System glitches: There was a statewide system update in January 2025 that's still causing occasional card deactivations even when accounts are active 3. Reporting issue: Sometimes if something on your SAR7 triggered a flag but not a full case closure, they might cancel the card while reviewing your case Here's what to do: - Call your county office (early morning is best) and specifically request an "emergency card replacement" - Ask them to document the reason for cancellation in your case notes - Request an "override authorization" if you need emergency food assistance If you go in person, they can usually issue a temporary card while you wait for the permanent one to arrive. The benefits already in your account will transfer automatically.

happened to my cousin too she said its fraud protection or something they did it after she used her card at a new store

UPDATE: I finally got through to someone at the county after waiting for almost 2 hours on hold! Turns out there was some kind of "security protocol" that flagged my account because I used my card at a new grocery store across town (they thought it was suspicious activity or something). They're sending me a new card that should arrive in 7-10 business days, but the worker also gave me a temporary emergency voucher I can use at certain stores until my new card comes. All my benefits are still there, just needed the new card. Thanks everyone for your help! And definitely document everything when this happens because apparently it's becoming more common with their new "enhanced security measures" 🙄

I'm new here but dealing with something similar! My card got declined yesterday at Target and I'm panicking because I have no idea what's going on. Reading through everyone's responses is really helpful - I had no idea this was happening to so many people! @Avery Saint glad you got yours sorted out! Did the emergency voucher work at most grocery stores or just specific ones? I might need to ask for one of those too since 7-10 days feels like forever when you have a family to feed. This whole "enhanced security" thing seems like it's causing more problems than it's solving. Why don't they send notifications before canceling cards?? A simple text or email would prevent so much stress and confusion.

This whole thread is so eye-opening! I had no idea this was such a widespread issue. I've been on CalFresh for about 6 months now and thankfully haven't experienced this yet, but reading everyone's stories has me worried it could happen to me too. It sounds like the system is way too sensitive with their fraud detection. Like, shopping at a different store shouldn't automatically flag your account! And the fact that they don't send any kind of warning before canceling cards is just cruel - especially when people have families depending on those benefits. Thanks to everyone sharing their experiences and solutions. I'm definitely going to save the EBT customer service number (877-328-9677) in my phone and maybe call ahead if I ever need to shop somewhere new. It's ridiculous that we have to do that, but better safe than sorry I guess. @Avery Saint so glad you got it resolved! The emergency voucher system sounds like a lifesaver for situations like this.

This is such a helpful thread! I'm relatively new to CalFresh (got approved about 4 months ago) and had no idea card cancellations like this were so common. Reading everyone's experiences is both reassuring and concerning - reassuring because it's clearly a system issue and not something wrong with individual cases, but concerning because it seems like it could happen to any of us at any time. The lack of notification before canceling cards is what really gets me. How hard would it be to send a text or email saying "Hey, we noticed unusual activity on your card, please call us to verify"? Instead people are finding out when they're trying to buy groceries and getting embarrassed at checkout. That's just not right. I'm definitely taking notes on all the solutions people have shared - saving the customer service number, asking for emergency vouchers, going to the office for temp cards. It's sad that we need to have all these backup plans just to access our benefits, but I'm grateful for this community sharing the knowledge! @Brooklyn Foley thank you especially for that detailed breakdown of what might be causing these issues. Having that context really helps understand what's happening behind the scenes.

I'm also new to this community and CalFresh (just got approved 2 months ago). This thread is honestly both terrifying and incredibly helpful! I had no idea card cancellations were this common - the fact that so many people are experiencing the same issue really shows it's a systemic problem, not individual cases. What strikes me most is how the "enhanced security" measures seem to hurt the very people they're supposed to protect. We're already in vulnerable situations needing these benefits, and then the system makes it even harder to access them. The embarrassment of having your card declined at checkout is bad enough without it being due to overly sensitive fraud detection! I'm definitely taking all the advice here to heart - saving the EBT customer service number, keeping documentation, and being prepared to ask for emergency vouchers or temp cards. It's frustrating that we need to have all these contingency plans just to use our benefits, but I'm so grateful for everyone sharing their experiences and solutions. @Brooklyn Foley your breakdown of the potential causes was especially helpful - knowing it could be connected to SAR7 submissions or system glitches helps put this in context. And @Avery Saint I'm glad you got it resolved! The emergency voucher option is definitely something I'll remember if this happens to me. This community is already proving to be an amazing resource for navigating all the bureaucratic challenges we face!

I'm also fairly new to both this community and CalFresh (got approved about 5 months ago), and this thread has been incredibly eye-opening! Reading everyone's experiences makes me realize how broken this system really is. The fact that "enhanced security" is causing so many legitimate cardholders to lose access to their benefits is absolutely backwards. We're already dealing with food insecurity, and then the system designed to help us creates even more barriers? It's honestly infuriating. What really gets me is the complete lack of communication before they cancel cards. A simple automated text saying "unusual activity detected, please call to verify" would prevent so much stress and embarrassment. Instead, people are finding out at the grocery store checkout in front of other customers. That's just cruel. I'm definitely saving all the helpful info from this thread - the EBT customer service number, tips about emergency vouchers and temp cards, and the advice to call ahead if shopping somewhere new (though it's ridiculous we have to do that). It's sad that we need to strategize just to use our own benefits, but better to be prepared. Thanks to everyone, especially @Brooklyn Foley and @Avery Saint, for sharing your knowledge and experiences. This community is already proving to be invaluable for navigating all the bureaucratic nonsense we have to deal with!

I'm brand new to this community and relatively new to CalFresh (been on it for about 2 months), and wow - this thread is both terrifying and incredibly helpful! I had absolutely no idea that card cancellations like this were so widespread. Reading everyone's experiences really shows this is a major systemic issue, not isolated incidents. What really bothers me is how these "enhanced security measures" seem to punish the very people they're supposed to protect. We're already in financially vulnerable situations - that's why we need CalFresh in the first place - and then the system makes it even harder to actually use our benefits? The lack of any warning before canceling cards is especially cruel. Finding out your card doesn't work when you're at checkout with groceries is humiliating and stressful. I'm definitely taking notes on all the solutions everyone has shared here - saving the EBT customer service number (877-328-9677), knowing about emergency vouchers and temporary cards, and apparently having to call ahead if I want to shop somewhere new (which is absolutely ridiculous but seems necessary). It's depressing that we need backup plans just to buy food with our own benefits. @Brooklyn Foley thank you for that detailed explanation of what might be causing these cancellations - having that context really helps. And @Avery Saint I'm so glad you got yours resolved and shared your experience! This community is already proving to be an amazing resource for navigating all the bureaucratic obstacles we face.

I'm completely new to this community and to CalFresh (just got approved last week!), and finding this thread feels like discovering a goldmine of information I desperately needed. Reading everyone's experiences is honestly both reassuring and alarming - reassuring because it's clearly not just me who's confused about how this system works, but alarming because it sounds like card cancellations could happen to any of us at any time! The fact that so many people are dealing with the same "enhanced security" issues really shows this is a widespread problem with the system itself. What's especially frustrating is how they can just cancel your card without any warning - like, wouldn't a simple text or call saying "hey, we noticed you shopped somewhere new, just confirming it was you" make way more sense than leaving people stranded at checkout? I'm definitely saving all the helpful tips from this thread as my CalFresh survival guide - the customer service number, emergency voucher info, temp card procedures, and apparently I need to call ahead before shopping anywhere new (which honestly sounds ridiculous but seems necessary). It's pretty sad that we need contingency plans just to buy groceries with our own benefits. Thanks to everyone for sharing your experiences and solutions, especially @Brooklyn Foley for the detailed breakdown and @Avery Saint for the update on how you got it resolved. This community is already proving to be invaluable for navigating all the bureaucratic chaos that comes with trying to access basic assistance!