EBT Connect app kicked me out & won't let me log back in - need to check CalFresh balance ASAP

Ok I just tried deleting and reinstalling but still getting the same error message saying "credentials not recognized" or something. I think maybe my account is locked like you said. Just hate the thought of calling the county office - last time I was on hold for 2 hours before giving up 😩

Thanks for the tip! I'm getting pretty desperate since I need to buy groceries tomorrow. Did they have to verify a bunch of info before helping you? Last time they made me answer like 20 questions just to prove I was me 🙄

Thanks for the alternative! I'll try that number right now just to check my balance at least. Still gonna need to get the app working again eventually since it's so much more convenient.

Wait that might be it! My password definitely had special characters in it - an exclamation point and a # symbol. I'll try creating a completely new one with just letters and numbers when I reinstall again. And good point about the receipt - totally forgot those show the balance. Going to check my last one now.

You're not wrong about the timing. The system updates often happen near the beginning of the month which unfortunately coincides with when most benefits post. It's definitely frustrating. The phone system is more reliable but less convenient than a working app.

So glad it worked for you! Yeah the no special characters thing is weird - they should tell people that somewhere! Glad you got it figured out before grocery shopping day.

Great question! I was wondering the same thing about third-party calling services. It's good to be cautious about these things, especially when dealing with government benefits. @2d28c942809c since you mentioned using Claimyr, could you share if there were any costs involved? Also curious if they required any personal information beyond what you'd normally give to the county office. Always want to make sure these services are legitimate before recommending them to others who might be in desperate situations like this.

@2d28c942809c Yes, I'd love to know about the cost too! I've been burned by "free" services before that turned out to have hidden fees. Also wondering - did they ask for your EBT card info or any sensitive details? I'm always nervous about giving personal information to third parties, especially when it comes to benefits. But if it's legitimate and actually works, it could be a game-changer for situations like this where the regular system fails right when you need it most.

@2d28c942809c Yes, I'm curious about this too! When I was stuck in phone hell trying to reach the county office, I would have paid a reasonable fee just to talk to someone. But you're right @7fb0025974a7 that we should be careful about sharing personal info with third parties, especially when it comes to benefits. Would be good to know if Claimyr is legit and what their process actually involves before more people in this situation try it.

I can answer this since I used Claimyr too! They don't charge anything upfront - it's completely free to try. They only ask for payment if they successfully connect you to a human representative, and even then it's pretty reasonable (I think it was like $20 when I used it a few months ago for a different issue). They don't ask for any sensitive info like your SSN or case details - just your phone number so they can call you back when they get through. The way it works is they basically dial the government number repeatedly using some kind of automated system until they reach a human, then they conference you in. Honestly saved me hours of frustration and it felt totally legitimate. @2d28c942809c can probably confirm the pricing since she used it more recently than me.

@2d28c942809c and @191ca46ae9ab - I used Claimyr a few months ago for a different issue with my CalFresh case. They do charge a small fee (I think it was like $19) but honestly it was worth it to avoid spending hours on hold. They basically act as your "representative" and wait in the phone queue for you, then conference you in once they get a human on the line. You still have to verify all your own info with the county worker - Claimyr doesn't handle any of your personal details, they just get you connected. Saved me literally half a day of trying to get through on my own. Just make sure you're going to the official site since there are probably knockoffs out there.

@2d28c942809c Yes, please share more details about Claimyr! I've been having similar issues with different government services and those hold times are just brutal. If there's a legitimate service that can actually get you through faster, that would be a game changer. But like @7fb0025974a7 said, I want to make sure it's safe and not some scam taking advantage of people who are already stressed about their benefits.

@2d28c942809c I can answer about Claimyr since I used it too! They do charge a fee - I think it was like $25 or something when I used it a few months ago for a different issue. You pay after they successfully connect you to a real person. They don't ask for any sensitive info like your SSN or case details - just your name and phone number so they can call you back when they get through. Honestly wasn't sure if it was legit at first but I was desperate and it actually worked. Worth it for me since I would have lost a whole day trying to get through on my own, but I get why some people would rather just deal with the regular hold times instead of paying.

@2d28c942809c Yes, I'd love to know about costs too! I've been burned before by services that seem free but then hit you with charges. Also wondering if using a third-party service like that could somehow affect your benefits or cause issues with the county later? I'm always paranoid about anything that's not directly through official channels, but if it's legitimate and actually works, it could be a lifesaver for situations like this.

I can answer that! When I used Claimyr it was completely free - they don't charge anything for the service. They basically just stay on hold for you and then call you back when a real person picks up. You don't give them any personal info about your benefits or case, just your phone number so they can call you back. Then when they connect you, you talk directly to the county worker just like if you had called yourself. It's legit and saved me hours of sitting on hold. The only "catch" is sometimes there's a wait to use their service too if lots of people are trying to get through, but still way faster than doing it yourself.

@2d28c942809c I'd also like to know about the cost and legitimacy of Claimyr. As someone who's had to deal with these government system issues multiple times, I'm always looking for reliable solutions. The wait times at county offices are just getting worse, so if there's a legitimate service that can help cut through that, it would be really valuable to know the details. Did they ask for your SSN or case number, or just basic contact info to facilitate the call?

@2d28c942809c Yes, please share more details about the Claimyr service! I've been dealing with similar EBT app issues on and off for months now, and those county office wait times are just brutal. If there's a legitimate service that can actually get you through faster without any sketchy stuff, that would be amazing to know about. Did you have to give them your case number or any sensitive info, or do they just help you navigate the phone system? Really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences here - this thread has been more helpful than any official help documentation I've found!

@191ca46ae9ab @7fb0025974a7 I used Claimyr when I had the same issue and yes, they do charge a small fee (I think it was around $20) but honestly it was worth it for me since I'd already wasted hours trying to get through on my own. They don't ask for any sensitive info - just your name and phone number so they can connect you when they get through. The way it works is they call the county office repeatedly until they get a human, then they conference you in. You still have to verify all your own info with the county worker like normal. I was hesitant at first too but when you're desperate and need your benefits accessible, sometimes you gotta try something different. Just my experience though - totally understand if people prefer to keep trying the free route!

I can answer about Claimyr since I used it too! They do charge a small fee (I think it was like $19 when I used it) but honestly it was worth it to avoid sitting on hold for hours. They don't ask for any sensitive info - just your name and phone number so they can call you back when they get someone on the line. Then you handle the actual call with the county worker yourself. The way it works is they have some kind of system that dials repeatedly until they get through, then they conference you in. Saved me literally hours of my time when my EBT account got locked last year. Just make sure you're using the real Claimyr website and not some copycat site.

@2d28c942809c I can actually answer this since I used Claimyr too! They don't charge anything upfront - it's completely free to use. You just give them your phone number and they call you back when they get through to a human at the government office. The only "cost" is that you're using their system instead of calling directly, but honestly when you're stuck in 2+ hour hold times, it's totally worth it. They don't ask for any sensitive info like your case number or SSN - you handle all that directly with the county worker once they connect you. Pretty legitimate service from what I experienced.

@2d28c942809c Yeah, I'd love to know about the cost too! I checked out their website after seeing it mentioned and it looks legit, but I couldn't find clear pricing info. Did they ask for your case number or SSN when setting up the call? I'm in a similar situation where I might need help getting through to the county office soon, but want to make sure it's safe before giving them any personal details.

@2d28c942809c Yes, please share about the cost! I've been hesitant to try third-party services too but if it's legitimate and reasonably priced, it could be a lifesaver when you're stuck in these situations. The regular customer service wait times are just brutal - 2+ hours is way too long when you need help with basic account access. Also wondering if they work for other government services or just CalFresh/EBT issues?

@2d28c942809c would love to hear about the cost too! I've seen a few different services like this pop up but wasn't sure if they were legit. The wait times for county offices are just getting ridiculous - sometimes feels like you need to take a whole day off work just to get through to someone. If there's a legitimate service that can actually get you connected faster without breaking the bank, that could be a game changer for people dealing with urgent benefit issues.

@2d28c942809c I'd also like to know about the cost! I've been burned by "free" services that end up charging hidden fees. When you're already stressed about benefits not working, the last thing you want is to get scammed by some sketchy calling service. Did they ask for any sensitive info like your SSN or case number? I'm always worried about giving that stuff to third parties even if they seem legit.

@2d28c942809c Yes, please share more details about the cost! I'm in a similar situation where I might need to use something like this soon. Also wondering if anyone knows of any free alternatives? Sometimes local community centers or libraries have staff who can help navigate these government phone systems, though that might not be as fast as a dedicated service.

@2d28c942809c @191ca46ae9ab I can actually answer this one! I used Claimyr a few months ago when I had issues with my disability benefits. They don't charge anything upfront - it's completely free to use. What they do is call the government office for you and stay on hold, then they call you back when a human agent picks up and conference you in. You still talk directly to the government worker yourself, so you're not giving any personal info to Claimyr. They just save you from sitting on hold for hours. Pretty legit service honestly, and they have good reviews. Just wanted to chime in since I've actually used them before!

Good point about being cautious! From what I can tell, Claimyr does charge a small fee (I think it was like $20-25) but honestly it was worth it to me since I wasted way more than that in time and gas trying to deal with this on my own. They didn't ask for anything more than what the county would ask - just my case number and basic info to verify identity. But yeah, definitely understand wanting to be careful with third-party services. The automated phone line is still free if you just need to check your balance!