EBT benefit theft happening - are thieves targeting CalFresh food benefits or just cash?

BOTH!! they got my calfresh AND cash aid back in feb. $389 in food stamps GONE in one day with purchases at stores i've never been to 50 miles away!!! i was telling everyone at my county office that somehing fishy was happening but they kept saying i must have given my card to someone. FINALLY they admitted there's been a surge in EBT theft.

I work as a benefits advocate, and unfortunately we're seeing a significant increase in EBT theft cases across California. To answer your question directly: thieves are targeting BOTH CalFresh food benefits and cash benefits. They're using card skimming devices at stores and ATMs to steal card numbers and PINs. If benefits are stolen: 1. Report it immediately to the EBT Customer Service (877-328-9677) 2. Request a new card with a new number 3. File a theft report with your county office 4. Change your PIN right away California now has a benefit replacement policy. CalFresh (food) benefits can be replaced if stolen electronically. Cash benefits are harder to replace but some counties are making exceptions with proper documentation.

i had $278 of my calfresh stollen last month from my card. i keep it in a special wallet thing that blocks the signals but they STILL got it somehow!!! the county replaced it after i filled out a form and talked to a worker but it took almost 3 weeks to get it back and my kids were hungry. they told me to use food banks in the meantime.

To add some important information: as of January 2025, California has implemented enhanced replacement policies for stolen benefits. You need to report the theft within 30 days, and benefits can be replaced once per federal fiscal quarter. Here's what I advise my clients: - Never share your PIN with anyone - Check for skimming devices before inserting your card (look for loose parts on the card reader) - Change your PIN frequently (at least monthly) - Consider transferring your benefits to another secure payment app if your county supports this - Check your EBT balance after each shopping trip To answer your original question - yes, thieves are successfully stealing and using food benefits, often at small independent grocers who may not carefully verify identity.

When my EBT got skimmed back in January, I spent 2 WEEKS trying to reach someone at the county office. Their phone lines were always busy and I kept getting disconnected. Finally I found Claimyr (claimyr.com) which got me through to a real person in about 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 Once I actually got through, they were helpful and replaced my stolen CalFresh benefits (about $275). It still took 10 days to get the replacement though. The cash benefits are harder to replace - I'm still fighting for those.

Yes, both food and cash gets stolen. i had my food benefits takn literally 30 mins after they got deposited last month. They can use the food stamps at certain stores that don't check ID or they buy specific items they can resell. Change your PIN number regulary and don't use obvious numbers like birthdays!

In response to the comment about transferring benefits to another app - this is currently being piloted in select California counties, but isn't widely available yet. It's part of the new EBT security initiative. Regarding proof of theft, you typically need to provide: - Date and time you discovered the theft - Last valid transaction you made - Transaction history showing the unauthorized purchases - A signed affidavit (the county office provides this form) To the original poster: Yes, you should report within 30 days, but the sooner the better. And @commenter concerned about internal theft - there's no evidence of this, but the investigation team takes all possibilities seriously.

after i got my benefits stolen i started taking ALL my money out the DAY it hits my account!!! its the only way to be safe. my friend works at target and says they see the same people coming in with different ebt cards all the time buying expensive stuff. the system is broken!!!!!

Thanks everyone for all this information! I called my sister and told her about the 30-day reporting window and the documentation she needs. She's going to try that Claimyr service to get through to her worker today. I'm going to change my PIN right now and will start checking my balance every day. It's really scary to think both food and cash benefits can be stolen so easily. Hopefully the county will help her get at least some of it back. I really appreciate all your responses!