Can someone withdraw cash from my EBT account without having my card? Worried about theft!

Yes, unfortunately card skimming has become a real problem with EBT cards. Thieves install tiny devices on store card readers that capture your card number and PIN when you use it. Then they create a duplicate card. Always check card readers for anything suspicious before inserting your card, and cover the keypad when entering your PIN. You need to report this to both the EBT Customer Service (1-877-328-9677) AND your county CalFresh office right away. Request a new card with a new number, and make sure they flag your account for fraud investigation. They should replace your stolen benefits, but you'll need to fill out an affidavit.

same thing hapend to me last yr!!! my card was in my purse but sum1 took $180 from atm in city ive never been to! take pics of ur card front+back RIGHT NOW before u report it stolen. u need 2 call EBT fraud line not regular cust service. they replaced mine after like 6 weeks

There's been a huge increase in CalFresh EBT fraud, especially card skimming. I work at a community legal aid office and we've had dozens of clients with this exact issue since January. Here's what you need to do: 1. Call EBT Customer Service (1-877-328-9677) and report fraud immediately 2. Ask them to deactivate your current card 3. Request a replacement card with a new number 4. File a police report - this is important for the benefit replacement process 5. Contact your county CalFresh office and specifically ask for their "EBT benefit theft replacement form" 6. Submit that form along with the police report By law, they must replace your stolen benefits if you follow this process, but ONLY if you report it within 90 days of the theft. The replacement can take 2-3 months though, so be prepared for that.

I tried reaching my county CalFresh office for WEEKS about a similar issue and kept getting stuck in their phone system. Finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to a real person in under 10 minutes. They have a video demo here: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 They called, navigated the phone tree, waited on hold, then called me when a real worker picked up. Saved me hours of frustration. My stolen benefits were actually replaced within 3 weeks after I finally got through.

Benefit theft is a MASSIVE issue that the state is REFUSING to properly address!! In 2024 alone, over $19 MILLION in CalFresh benefits were stolen in California. The EBT cards use outdated magnetic stripe technology instead of chip cards like regular credit cards. I've been fighting with my county for MONTHS over $340 that was stolen from my account. They keep saying they're "processing" my replacement claim. Meanwhile my kids don't eat. CONTACT YOUR STATE REPRESENTATIVE about this - it's the only way anything will change!

when this happened to me last year thear was $378 stolen the county made me fill out a from called "EBT-106C Claim of SNAP Benefit Theft." You need to ask for that specific form. If they try to tell you benefits can't be replaced, that's wrong, the law changed in 2022 and now they HaVE to replace stolen benefits. But they don't tell people about this. Also the investigator asked me for my last 3 months bank statements which seemed weird bc it was EBT not my bank?? But my friend who works at the county said thats normal, they want to make sure you really didnt take the money out yourself.

Have you checked if someone in your household might know your PIN? Sometimes it's someone close to you. My roommate's boyfriend was taking money from her EBT card for months before she caught him.

SUPER IMPORTANT they only replace benefits if u report within 90 days!!!! also don't wait 2 change ur pin just because u reported it. call right now 877-328-9677 and change ur pin immediately then request a new card. my cousin waited 2 days to change his pin after reporting and they took another $200!!!

I'm so sorry this happened to you! EBT fraud is unfortunately very common right now. A few additional tips that haven't been mentioned yet: 1. When you get your replacement card, try to use it at different stores than where you normally shop - at least for the first few weeks. If one of your regular stores has a compromised card reader, you could get skimmed again. 2. Consider using your EBT card for online grocery pickup/delivery when possible (Walmart, Amazon, etc.). This eliminates the risk of skimmers entirely. 3. Keep receipts from ALL your EBT transactions going forward. If this happens again, having a paper trail makes the replacement process much smoother. 4. Some people don't realize this, but you can check your EBT balance and recent transactions online at ebtedge.com anytime. I recommend checking it at least weekly so you can catch fraud early. The good news is that since the 2022 law change, benefit replacement is pretty much guaranteed if you follow the proper steps. It's frustrating that it takes so long, but you WILL get your money back. Hang in there!

I went through this exact same situation 6 months ago - had $220 stolen from my EBT card while it was still in my possession. It's absolutely maddening and scary when it happens! Here's what I learned that might help: The skimmers are getting incredibly sophisticated now. They can be paper-thin overlays on card readers that are almost impossible to detect. I got skimmed at a grocery store I'd been shopping at for years - turned out they had been hit by a skimming operation and didn't even know it. One thing that really helped speed up my case was documenting EVERYTHING with timestamps and photos. I took screenshots of my EBT account showing the fraudulent transactions, photographed my card (front and back), and wrote down exactly where and when I had used my card in the days leading up to the theft. Also, when you call the EBT number, ask to speak specifically with the "fraud department" rather than general customer service. They're much more knowledgeable about the replacement process and can walk you through exactly what forms you'll need. My benefits were fully replaced after about 5 weeks, which was faster than I expected based on horror stories I'd heard. The key was staying on top of the process and following up weekly. You've got this - just stay persistent and document everything!

This is such a frustrating situation and you're definitely not alone! EBT card skimming has become a huge problem lately. I had my card compromised twice in the past year - once at a gas station and once at a convenience store. Here's what worked for me: Call the EBT customer service line (1-877-328-9677) early in the morning around 8 AM when call volume is lower. When you get through, immediately say "fraud department" to get transferred to someone who actually knows the process. Don't waste time with general customer service - they'll just put you on hold forever. Make sure you get a case number when you report it, and ask them to email you a confirmation of your fraud report if possible. Also, change your PIN immediately over the phone even before you get your replacement card - this prevents any additional theft while you're waiting. The replacement process is slow but they WILL replace your benefits if you follow the steps correctly. I got mine back in about 6-8 weeks both times. In the meantime, see if any local food banks can help tide you over. Many don't ask questions and can provide emergency food assistance while you're waiting for your benefits to be restored. Stay strong - this theft epidemic is a systemic problem with outdated EBT technology, not anything you did wrong!