Can I get my EBT card number over the phone after losing my card? Machine was down at county office
Just my luck! I lost my EBT card yesterday (pretty sure it fell out of my wallet at the grocery store), and I went to the county office this morning to get a replacement. Of course when I got there, they had a sign saying their card-issuing machine was down for maintenance until next week! I've got like $430 in benefits I need to use for my kids' groceries. Does anyone know if I call the EBT customer service, will they give me my card number over the phone so I can at least order some groceries online until the new physical card arrives? Or am I just out of luck until the replacement comes in the mail? Stressing out because I was counting on those benefits for this weekend's shopping trip.
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Isaiah Cross
Unfortunately no, they won't give you your card number over the phone for security reasons. When you request a replacement EBT card, you have to wait for it to arrive in the mail (usually takes 5-7 business days) or get it printed at the county office. The machine being down is really bad timing!
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Joy Olmedo
•Ugh that's what I was afraid of. 5-7 business days is a long time when you've got hungry kids at home. Thanks for the info though.
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Kiara Greene
I had the exact same problem last month!! The EBT customer service is USELESS for this. They'll just tell you to wait for the new card or go to the county office. It's insane that in 2025 they can't securely verify your identity and give you your own card number. Like, my regular bank can do this, why can't EBT?? The whole system is designed to make it harder for us to access OUR benefits.
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Evelyn Kelly
•right??? its like they purposely make it hard to get our own money. my friend had her card stolen and had to wait almost 2 weeks for the new one last year
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Paloma Clark
Do you have anyone who could lend you some cash until the new card comes? That's what I had to do when mine got stolen. Maybe explain the situation to your landlord if you need to delay paying rent?
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Joy Olmedo
•I might be able to borrow from my sister, but she's on a tight budget too. Just frustrating that the benefits are there but I can't access them!
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Heather Tyson
When this happened to me, I was able to find an open office in the next county over that could print a card on the spot. It was a 40 minute drive but worth it because I needed my benefits right away. Call around to see if any other county offices nearby have working card printers! You don't have to go to your home county office.
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Joy Olmedo
•Wait, seriously? I had no idea we could go to a different county office! That's super helpful - I'll try calling the offices in the next county tomorrow morning. Thank you!!!
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Raul Neal
i think if ur card got stolen (not just lost) u can report it as fraud and they might help faster? maybe tell them it was stolen instead of lost?? just an idea
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Isaiah Cross
•I wouldn't recommend this approach. Falsely reporting fraud can actually lead to an investigation and potentially cause more delays or even trouble with your benefits. It's always best to be honest about your situation.
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Jenna Sloan
I had a similar problem trying to reach someone at CalFresh after my card was damaged (went through the washing machine 🤦♀️). After spending hours on hold and getting disconnected, I found a service called Claimyr that really helped. They basically wait on hold with the EBT customer service for you and call you back when a real person gets on the line. Saved me so much frustration! I used it to check if there was ANY way to get my card number or expedite replacement. Check out their demo at https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 or go to claimyr.com. They couldn't change the policy, but at least I didn't waste hours on hold just to hear 'no.
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Joy Olmedo
•That actually sounds pretty useful just for future reference. I hate spending hours on hold just to ask a simple question. I'll check it out - thanks!
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Evelyn Kelly
do u have any friends who get calfresh too? when I lost my card once my roommate let me use hers and I paid her back when my new one came. not technically allowed but sometimes u gotta do what u gotta do
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Isaiah Cross
•Just a friendly reminder that sharing EBT cards is against program rules and could potentially result in both parties losing benefits. I understand emergencies happen, but wanted to mention this for everyone's awareness.
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Jenna Sloan
Update on my situation - I took the advice about calling other county offices and found one about 25 miles away that could print a card today! Just got back with my new EBT card in hand. The worker there told me they can actually see all EBT accounts statewide in their system, it doesn't matter which county issued your benefits. Wanted to share this info in case anyone else has this problem in the future!
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Isaiah Cross
•That's great news! And yes, this is correct - any county office in California can print an EBT card for any California CalFresh recipient, regardless of which county manages your case. I'm glad you were able to get your benefits accessed quickly!
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Zainab Ali
So glad you got your card sorted out! I'm actually dealing with something similar right now - my card stopped working yesterday and I think the magnetic strip got damaged. Good to know about being able to go to any county office in California. I was dreading having to wait for a replacement in the mail. Going to call around tomorrow to find the closest office with a working card printer. Thanks for sharing your experience!
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