Can I lock my EBT card and still receive monthly CalFresh deposits after being skimmed?

Yes! Your CalFresh benefits will still be deposited even when your card is locked. The lock only prevents purchases and withdrawals, not deposits. I went through the same skimming nightmare last year and now I keep my card locked between shopping trips. It's actually been a good safety measure. Just remember to unlock it before you're at the checkout! I've embarrassed myself twice forgetting to unlock it before trying to pay 😬 You can unlock it right there in the store through the mobile app though - only takes a few seconds.

i think it DOES block deposits actually. my cousin had his locked and didnt get his benefits until he called. not sure tho might be different counties?

This whole EBT skimming thing is getting ridiculous!!! I've been skimmed TWICE in the past 6 months and the county office treats you like you're lying when you report it. Took me 3 WEEKS to get my benefits back last time. The system is completely BROKEN. They should just give us a way to get direct deposit to our bank accounts instead of these stupid cards that get skimmed constantly. To answer your question though - yes, benefits still come through when locked. I keep mine locked all the time now except when I'm literally standing at the checkout.

I had the exact same concern last month! My deposit still came through while my card was locked. I've started using the lock feature religiously after shopping because my neighbor had her entire month's benefits stolen in January. One tip: I set a calendar reminder on my phone for my deposit date so I can check that the benefits arrived safely. Then I leave the card locked until I'm ready to grocery shop. Also, be careful about using your EBT card at sketchy stores with old card readers. That's where a lot of the skimmers get installed from what I heard from my case worker.

If you're having trouble reaching someone at the county office to get clear answers about EBT card security, I'd recommend trying Claimyr. It helped me get through to a CalFresh worker in under 5 minutes when I had a similar issue with my card being skimmed. You can see how it works at https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 or visit claimyr.com They got me connected to someone who walked me through exactly how to use the card locking feature and confirmed that yes, benefits will still deposit while the card is locked. The case worker also put notes in my file about the skimming incident so if it happened again the claim would be processed faster.

This happened to me too, had $700 stolen right after deposit (I get CalFresh for me and my 3 kids). I learned about the lock feature after that. Your benefits will 100% still deposit when your card is locked. One thing though, sometimes the BenefitsCal app gets glitchy and says the lock failed even when it worked. You can call the EBT customer service number on the back of your card to confirm if your card is actually locked. I do this before each shopping trip now - lock after shopping, then unlock right before I need to use it again.

To clarify how the EBT card security system works: 1. Locking your card ONLY prevents purchases and ATM withdrawals 2. Benefits WILL still be deposited on your regular issuance date 3. You can lock/unlock your card as often as needed through: - BenefitsCal mobile app - BenefitsCal website - EBT customer service line (24/7) The locking feature was specifically designed to prevent skimming while allowing normal benefit deposits. I recommend all clients keep their cards locked between shopping trips. Additional tip: When you get notification that your benefits were deposited, check your balance immediately to confirm they arrived correctly, then keep your card locked until you need to make a purchase.

Thank you everyone for the helpful advice! I feel so much better knowing I can keep my card locked and still get my benefits. I'm setting up the lock feature today and will only unlock when I'm physically ready to check out at the store. I really appreciate all your suggestions about calendars and checking balances. It's horrible that so many of us have gone through this skimming nightmare. Hopefully the system improves eventually, but for now at least we have this lock option to protect ourselves.