EBT benefits stolen overnight - what to do after reporting theft to county office?

I'm so sorry this happened to you. I went through this exact situation last year. You're doing the right thing by going to the county office immediately. Make sure you get a copy of the theft report - you'll need it. California passed a law requiring them to restore stolen CalFresh benefits, but it can take 2-3 weeks to process. Ask about emergency replacement benefits while you wait for the full reimbursement. Also file a police report if the county office doesn't do it for you - some counties require this as part of their investigation.

omg this happnd to my sister 2 months ago!! thieves are getting really good at skimming these cards. did u ever use it at a gas station? thats where my sisters card got compromized. the county took FOREVER to reimburse her like almost 6 weeks!!

The staff at the county office should be offering you emergency replacement benefits immediately while your theft claim is being processed. Under California Senate Bill 129 and the recent EBT theft protection laws, counties must process your claim within 10 business days, not weeks. They're required to replace stolen benefits dated October 2021 and later. Make sure they provide you with California EBT-2259 form (Benefit Theft Report). If they aren't being helpful, you can call the EBT Customer Service line at 1-877-328-9677 to dispute the transactions, but honestly, in these situations, you need to speak directly with a CalFresh eligibility worker. I was getting nowhere with the automated system when my benefits were stolen, but I found a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to a live county worker in about 10 minutes instead of waiting on hold for hours. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8. It made filing my theft report so much easier, and I had emergency benefits issued that same day.

THE SAME EXACT THING HAPPENED TO ME LAST MONTH!!! $763 completely drained from my account overnight! The county office was USELESS!! They made me fill out all these forms and then told me it would take 30-45 days for "investigation" before they'd replace anything. I have 3 kids and we had to rely on food banks for weeks! This is how they treat people who are already struggling??? The system is BROKEN. Make sure you document EVERYTHING and get the names of every worker you talk to. I had to call my state assembly member's office to finally get action.

hey this might seem random but check if the transactions were at a walmart or target. there's been a huge scam ring hitting ebt cards in our area and those are the main stores they use to drain benefits. my cousin works for dcss and said they're seeing tons of these cases lately

Since you're dealing with this right now, here's what you need to do for fastest resolution: 1. Ask specifically for "immediate replacement benefits" due to theft - this is different from your regular reimbursement claim 2. Get the report number for your theft claim 3. Ask for the name of your assigned eligibility worker for follow-up 4. Request a written timeline for when your claim will be processed 5. If you're told anything over 10 business days, reference California SB 129 and the Federal EBT fraud protection provisions If they refuse emergency replacement, ask to speak with a supervisor immediately. You shouldn't have to wait weeks with no food assistance. By the way, changing your PIN monthly probably wouldn't have prevented this - most modern EBT theft happens through skimmers or data breaches, not from someone knowing your PIN. Don't blame yourself.

I know ur upset but you should of changed ur pin like they tell u 2. My benifts got stolen last yr and they only reimburse me after like 2 months because they said I was negligent for keeping same pin. Now i change it every month and use those cardboard anti-skimmer checker things before I put my card in anywhere. also check for cameras at the keypads.

Just following up - were you able to get emergency benefits issued? If they're still giving you the runaround, specifically ask for an "Immediate Need" issuance while your theft claim is being processed. This is a separate process from the reimbursement claim. You're entitled to expedited benefits in emergency situations like this. If the regular county line isn't helpful, try calling the main CalFresh customer service line at 1-877-847-3663 (1-877-FOOD). Make sure to document the time and date of every call, who you spoke with, and what they told you.

I'm so glad you got the emergency benefits sorted out! This is exactly why we need to share this information - too many county workers don't mention the "Immediate Need" option or emergency replacement benefits. For anyone else reading this thread who might face EBT theft, save this post! The key phrases are "Immediate Need issuance" and "emergency replacement benefits" - these are separate from your regular theft claim reimbursement. Don't let them tell you to just wait weeks with no food assistance. You're entitled to help while your case is being processed. Really happy this worked out for you and your family!