CalFresh worker questioned me about using EBT in different city - is this legal?

This happens ALL THE TIME. The system flags "unusual" purchase patterns and they investigate for trafficking or misuse. It's completely messed up but YES they track where you use your card. I've been questioned 3 times in the past year because I shop near my mom's house when I visit her every weekend. They're basically treating us all like criminals.

I work for a community org that helps people with benefits, and I can clarify this. CalFresh workers do routinely review EBT transaction data when looking for potential fraud patterns, but you have every right to use your card anywhere in California (or even other states). There's no requirement to shop only in your home city. However, if there's a sudden change in your shopping pattern or you're exclusively shopping far from home, they might flag it for review. It doesn't mean you've done anything wrong! Just explain your work situation like you did here.

my worker never said ANYTHING about where i can shop lol... i use mine all over the place because i drive for work. nobody has ever called me in for an "appointment" about it.

Looking at your situation objectively, there's nothing wrong with using your EBT card in a different city, but certain patterns can trigger fraud reviews. The worker should have explained this instead of making you feel uncomfortable. What likely happened is that the system flagged your account for one of these reasons: 1. Sudden change in transaction locations 2. 100% of transactions outside your residential area 3. Multiple large transactions in a single day in different locations Standard procedure is to verify these transactions with you. Simply explaining your work situation should resolve this. Document the conversation date and who you spoke with, just in case.

If you're having trouble getting through to your CalFresh worker to discuss this or document your work situation, try using Claimyr. I was stuck in the same situation with weird questioning about my EBT usage, and I couldn't get through to my worker for days. Claimyr got me connected in about 15 minutes instead of spending hours on hold. They have a video showing how it works at https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 and their site is claimyr.com. Totally worth it to get this resolved quickly.

This isn't right. While they do track transaction data for fraud prevention, they shouldn't be treating you like you're guilty of something for simply shopping near work. I recommend: 1. File a formal complaint with your county office 2. Ask for a written explanation of their EBT monitoring policies 3. Request that they document your work location in your case file I had a similar issue last year and after I complained, my worker actually apologized. There's nothing in the CalFresh regulations saying you can only shop in your home zip code.

omg this is ridiculous! what if someone doesn't have a car and takes the bus to a better grocery store in another area? or shops where prices are better? are we supposed to ONLY shop at the nearest store even if it's more expensive??? this system is designed to keep us poor i swear

A family member works in the fraud department at CDSS and here's what I know: they absolutely track purchase patterns, but the intent is to catch people selling benefits or cards (like consistent withdrawals of exact amounts, always at the same ATM, etc). Shopping in a neighboring city for normal groceries is NOT fraud and not even close to what they're looking for. Your worker was being overzealous and inappropriate.

i think its super weird they can see every place we shop tho... feels like being stalked by the government lol

This is so frustrating and honestly feels like harassment! I've been on CalFresh for 2 years and had no idea they were tracking where I shop. Like others have said, there's absolutely nothing wrong with using your EBT card in a different city - especially when you work there! I think the worker was way out of line calling you in for an "appointment" without explaining what it was about, then making you feel like you were doing something wrong. You shouldn't have to justify normal grocery shopping patterns. Definitely document everything from this interaction and consider filing a complaint. Workers need to understand the difference between actual fraud (like selling benefits) and normal life circumstances like working in a different city. Hope you get this resolved quickly!