Can't unlock my EBT card - EdgeTrak keeps locking me out! CalFresh benefits inaccessible

omg SAME THING happened to me last month!!! the ebt edge website is garbage, kept saying my card number was wrong even tho i was looking right at it. i ended up having to physically go down to the county office and wait half the day but they fixed it. bring ID!!!! they're super strict about it

I've helped several clients through this same EBT card issue. The problem is that the EBT Edge system has been updated but sometimes doesn't sync properly with the county databases. Here's what you can try before going to the office: 1. Clear your browser cache completely before trying EBT Edge again 2. Make sure you're entering your date of birth in MM/DD/YYYY format exactly 3. Try using the last four of your SSN instead of your full case number if it asks for an identifier 4. Call early in the morning (7:30am) when the phone queues are shortest If none of these work, you can request an emergency card unlock by specifically asking for a supervisor when you call. Make sure to mention you have children and no access to food benefits.

they NEVER answer the phone ive been on calfresh 6 yrs and its always a nightmare to get anyone!!! once I was on hold for 3.5 hours and then they hung up on me when i finally got through. and the ebt card system is the WORST..

I had this exact issue in January. After three days of frustration, I finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to reach a CalFresh worker. They got me through to a live person in about 15 minutes who was able to unlock my card and reset my PIN over the phone. You can see how it works in their video demo: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 The EBT customer service is completely overwhelmed right now - something about a system migration causing all kinds of problems. But getting through to an actual county eligibility worker is your best bet for resolving it quickly.

This is such a common issue with the EBT system right now. The California DSS actually issued a bulletin about it last month. When you call, do NOT use the automated system for PIN resets! You need to specifically: 1. Press 2 for "card problems" 2. Then press 4 for "other card issues" 3. Then press 0 repeatedly until it connects you to a rep They need to manually unlock your account in their system before you can reset the PIN. The EBT Edge website won't work until they fix the lock on their end first. If you still can't get through via phone, go to the county office as early as possible (like 30 min before they open) and bring both your ID and EBT card.

call the EBT customer service not the county office. different phone numbers. EBT is 877-328-9677 for card issues

CalFresh's phone system and EBT Edge have been INTENTIONALLY designed to be unusable! They're trying to discourage people from accessing their rightful benefits. I know someone who works in the system and they ADMIT they're understaffed on purpose. The government wants to claim they provide food assistance while making it nearly IMPOSSIBLE to actually use it! I've been fighting with them for THREE YEARS about various issues. The entire system is broken BY DESIGN.

Update to my earlier comment: I just learned that CalFresh/EBT is doing a system update this weekend (April 19-21, 2025). If your card was locked before this, you might actually benefit from the update since they're resetting certain security parameters. Try accessing EBT Edge again on Monday morning - it might recognize your information correctly after the update.

UPDATE: Finally got my card unlocked! For anyone with the same issue, I ended up using that Claimyr service someone mentioned here, and it actually worked! They got me through to a person at the county office in about 20 minutes (versus the 2+ hours I was waiting before). The worker was able to see that my account had a security lock that was different from just the PIN lock, which is why the automated system and website weren't working. She removed that security flag and then helped me reset my PIN. Card is working now! Thanks everyone for your help and suggestions!