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!

I'm so sorry this happened to you @Ana Rusula! This is absolutely terrifying - I had no idea EBT theft was becoming so common with online grocery orders. I've been using Walmart pickup (not delivery) for about 6 months now and haven't had any issues yet, but reading this thread is making me really paranoid. A few questions for everyone who's dealt with this: - Is pickup safer than delivery, or should I avoid online EBT use completely? - Has anyone had success getting their benefits back faster by contacting their local county supervisor's office directly? - Are there any specific warning signs to watch for that might indicate your card info has been compromised? I'm a single mom with two kids and losing even one month of benefits would be devastating. Thank you to everyone sharing their experiences and advice - this community is so helpful! @Madison Allen thank you especially for the food bank info, I'm going to research what's available in my area just in case.

This is such valuable information everyone is sharing - thank you! I'm new to using EBT and was about to start using grocery delivery services, but this thread has definitely changed my mind. @Ana Rusula I'm so glad you were able to get emergency benefits while waiting for your case to resolve! I wanted to add one thing I learned from my caseworker last week - apparently California is working on implementing stronger security measures for online EBT transactions, but it won't be rolled out until late 2025. In the meantime, she strongly recommended what others have said here: stick to in-person shopping with chip readers only. For those who absolutely need delivery services due to disability or transportation issues, she mentioned that some counties are piloting a program where you can get temporary prepaid cards loaded with your CalFresh benefits instead of using your EBT card online. Might be worth asking your caseworker if this option is available in your area yet. Stay safe everyone, and thank you @Madison Allen for the food bank resources - I'm definitely going to look into what's available locally just to be prepared!

This is such an important discussion! As someone who works in cybersecurity, I wanted to share some technical insights about what might be happening here. The pattern of theft occurring across multiple platforms (Walmart, Target, etc.) suggests this could be related to how EBT card data is processed during online transactions - there may be vulnerabilities in the payment processing chain that scammers are exploiting. A few additional security tips that might help: - Never use public WiFi when making online EBT purchases (if you absolutely must shop online) - Clear your browser cache/cookies after any online transaction - Use a dedicated device/browser only for EBT transactions if possible - Consider using your phone's mobile data instead of WiFi for these transactions @Ana Rusula I'm so glad you got emergency benefits! For everyone else, document EVERYTHING - screenshots of your account balance before and after, transaction confirmations, dates/times. This documentation can really speed up the investigation process. It's unfortunate that we have to take all these precautions just to buy groceries, but until the security issues are fixed, protecting ourselves is crucial. Thanks to everyone sharing their experiences - this kind of community awareness is so valuable!

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!

This thread is so important and timely! I work as a community health navigator and have been seeing this exact issue with several of my clients over the past few months. The pattern is definitely real - EBT theft connected to online grocery orders is unfortunately becoming very common. A few additional resources I wanted to share that might help people dealing with this: 1. Contact 211 (dial 2-1-1) for local emergency food assistance while waiting for benefits to be restored 2. Many WIC offices keep lists of food pantries that specifically help CalFresh recipients during benefit interruptions 3. Some churches and community centers offer emergency grocery vouchers - worth calling around locally @Ana Rusula I'm so glad you got emergency benefits! For anyone else going through this, don't give up if the first person you talk to says they can't help. Ask to speak with a supervisor and specifically mention "food security emergency" - this often triggers additional options. It's heartbreaking that families have to deal with this on top of everything else. Until these security issues are fixed, in-person shopping really does seem like the only safe option. Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences and looking out for each other!

This thread has been incredibly helpful - thank you @Ana Rusula for sharing your experience and bringing this issue to light! I had no idea EBT theft was this widespread with online grocery orders. I've been using various delivery services for over a year without problems, but after reading everyone's experiences, I'm definitely switching to in-person shopping only. The risk is just too high. For anyone dealing with this situation, I wanted to share that my cousin went through something similar in February (lost $520 through Amazon Fresh). What helped speed up her case was filing a complaint with the California Department of Social Services directly in addition to her county office. She found the online complaint form on the CDSS website and referenced her local case number. They followed up within 5 days and her benefits were restored in about 2 weeks total. Also, @Madison Allen thank you so much for mentioning the food bank resources - I work at a community center and we regularly refer people to local food assistance programs, but I didn't know many specifically helped EBT theft victims. This is such important information to have. Everyone please stay safe out there! It's awful that we have to be so cautious just to buy groceries, but protecting our benefits is crucial. @ElectricDreamer the 211 tip is fantastic too - I'm going to share that resource with others in my community.

This thread has been absolutely eye-opening and honestly terrifying! I've been using EBT for about 8 months now and had no idea this theft issue was so widespread with online grocery shopping. I was literally planning to start using Walmart delivery next week because of my work schedule, but after reading all these experiences, there's no way I'm risking it. @Ana Rusula I'm so sorry this happened to you, but thank you for sharing your story - it's probably going to save countless people from going through the same nightmare. The fact that you had to wait 3 weeks just to get emergency benefits while your kids went without food is absolutely unacceptable. A few things that really stood out to me from this discussion: - The once-per-year replacement policy is shocking - I had no idea about that limitation - The card lock feature seems like a must-use safety measure for anyone still shopping online - The 211 resource and food bank assistance options are incredibly valuable to know about I'm definitely going to enable that card lock feature right now and start checking my balance daily like others suggested. It's so frustrating that we have to be this paranoid just to buy groceries, but losing a whole month's benefits would be devastating for my family. Thank you to everyone sharing resources and looking out for each other - this is exactly why community support is so important. Stay safe everyone!