EBT benefits stolen after Walmart grocery delivery - anyone else experience this?

omg this happened to me too!! but it was target pickup not walmart. lost $430 last week and ebt customer service gave me the runaround about filing a claim. so frustrating!!

This is unfortunately becoming more common. EBT skimming and theft has increased dramatically in 2025. When filing your claim, make sure you have: 1. The exact date and amount of the Walmart transaction 2. The date you noticed the funds missing 3. Transaction record showing where the funds were actually spent (customer service can provide this) Most counties are taking 30-45 days to investigate and restore benefits. Call your county worker directly and ask them to expedite due to hardship. Request emergency CalFresh benefits while you wait - some counties will provide these in theft situations.

OMG I'm so scared now! I just started using Walmart delivery last month because of my disability. Is there any way to protect our EBT cards? Should I stop using delivery services completely?? I can't afford to lose my benefits!!

Had the exact same issue back in January with Walmart delivery. My entire $825 for our family of 5 was gone the next morning. Called the EBT customer service line 14 times and kept getting disconnected after waiting for hours. Finally tried using Claimyr.com to get through to a real person at the CalFresh office - they have this service where they wait on hold for you and call you back when they reach someone. Watched their demo (https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8) and it actually worked! Got my case expedited and had my benefits replaced within 10 days instead of the typical 45. Definitely worth it in an emergency situation like this.

this is y i NEVER use my ebt online i don't trust ANY of these companies with my info they prolly selling it to scammers tbh

There's been a significant increase in EBT theft cases related to online shopping in California. Here's what I know from working with clients facing this issue: 1. The current CDSS policy is to replace stolen benefits ONE time per household in a 12-month period (as of the March 2025 policy update) 2. To protect yourself: - Use the EBT card lock feature between purchases - Change your PIN monthly - Monitor your account daily - Consider using the pickup option rather than delivery - Never save card info on websites 3. For expedited investigation: - File a police report and provide the report number - Ask specifically for a "hardship expedition" of your claim - Request emergency supplemental benefits while waiting The average resolution time is currently 32 days, but with proper documentation and persistent follow-up, you can get it resolved faster.

Walmart delivery is the WORST!!! not only did they steal my ebt but they also delivered rotten produce last time and refused to refund me. never again!!!

UPDATE: I called my county office today and was actually able to get through (after trying that Claimyr service someone mentioned). The worker confirmed there's been a pattern of theft connected to online shopping. They've expedited my claim and issued emergency benefits for $320 to help until the investigation is complete. They also officially recommended NOT using EBT for online purchases at this time due to security concerns. I'll post another update when my case is fully resolved. Thanks everyone for your advice!

This is really scary - I've been using Walmart delivery for months with my EBT card and had no idea this was happening! I'm definitely going to start using that card lock feature after every purchase. Does anyone know if other grocery delivery services like Instacart or Amazon Fresh are having similar issues? I rely on delivery because of my work schedule but I can't risk losing my benefits. Also @Ana Rusula so glad you got some emergency help while waiting for your case to resolve!

This is such an important thread - thank you @Ana Rusula for sharing your experience! I work at a local food bank and we've been hearing about this issue more and more. A few additional tips I wanted to share: 1. If you're waiting for your investigation to complete, many food banks have emergency food boxes available specifically for EBT theft victims - just bring documentation of your claim filing 2. Some counties are now issuing temporary paper vouchers while investigations are pending, so definitely ask about this option 3. Consider setting up account alerts through your EBT app if available - some people catch the theft within hours instead of days The fact that this is happening across multiple platforms (Walmart, Target, etc.) suggests it's a broader security issue with online EBT processing. Until they fix these vulnerabilities, in-person shopping really does seem like the safest option. Wishing everyone dealing with this a quick resolution!

This thread has been incredibly eye-opening and helpful! I've been using Walmart grocery pickup for the past few months without any issues, but after reading everyone's experiences, I'm definitely switching back to in-person shopping only. The risk just isn't worth it. @Ana Rusula I'm so sorry this happened to you and I'm really glad you were able to get those emergency benefits while waiting for your case to resolve! Your persistence in calling and using that Claimyr service really paid off. A few things I wanted to add based on what I've learned from this discussion: - I immediately enabled the card lock feature on my EBT app after reading @Fiona Gallagher's suggestion - I'm going to start checking my account balance daily instead of just when I shop - I had no idea about the once-per-year replacement policy that @Axel Bourke mentioned - that's really important information @Madison Allen thank you for sharing those food bank resources! I'm going to research what's available in my area just to be prepared. It's reassuring to know there are backup options if this ever happens. This community is amazing - everyone looking out for each other and sharing practical advice. Hopefully these security issues get resolved soon, but until then, we all need to be extra careful with our EBT cards online. Stay safe everyone!