EBT benefits stolen two months in a row - how to reach CalFresh fraud department?
I'm at my wit's end here. For the SECOND month in a row, ALL my CalFresh benefits were stolen before I could buy a single item of food! Called CalFresh and they said it could take 1-30 days to investigate. Well, May's benefits were stolen and it's been over 30 days with no resolution. Filed police report and they suggested it might be either the EBT app vulnerability or possibly an "inside job" since my replacement card was only activated once with a PIN and then added to the app. Never in my life did I think food benefits could be stolen without having the physical card or knowing my PIN until this happened! I have 3 hungry kids and literally no food. The local food pantries are basically useless - you can only visit once a week and they give maybe one day's worth of mostly expired random items. At least I switched my CalWorks cash benefits to direct deposit to my bank account (best decision ever - get it on the 1st or sometimes 2 days earlier if the county's system isn't glitching), so that money is safe. But seriously, how do I actually talk to someone who handles EBT theft cases? The regular customer service people just take reports and tell me to wait. Is there a fraud department phone number? Someone who can actually HELP?
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Honorah King
omg this happened to my cousin last year!!! the thieves took her entire $800 benefit on the 2nd day of the month. she had to wait almost 6 WEEKS to get it back. the whole system is rigged against us i swear. the county workers barely even picked up her calls. you'd think they would care more when LITERAL FOOD MONEY for kids is stolen
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Brielle Johnson
•6 weeks?! I can't wait that long with three kids. Did she do anything special to finally get someone to help? I've called the main number like 10 times but nobody seems to care.
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Oliver Brown
2 things you can do: 1) call your county worker DIRECTLY and explain it's an emergency with kids in the home, they might expedite 2) ask for a supervisor if regular worker isn't helpful. Did you freeze your EBT card through the app after the first theft? Also always check the card reader for skimmers before you swipe anywhere, that's how a lot of these thefts happen.
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Brielle Johnson
•Yes, I froze the card immediately after the first theft and got a replacement. The weird thing is I never even used the replacement card in a store - just activated it with a PIN over the phone and added it to the app. Then BAM, all the money gone again on the 2nd day. That's why police think it might be the app itself that's compromised. I'll try asking for a supervisor, but getting through to anyone is nearly impossible.
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Mary Bates
Sorry you're going through this! I had my benefits stolen last year and learned some things that might help. First, CalFresh has a separate EBT theft unit you need to reach. The regular workers can't help much. Call your county office early in the morning (like right when they open) and specifically ask to speak with the "EBT benefit theft specialist" or "EBT fraud department." Be very clear that you've already waited beyond the 30 days for May's benefits and you have 3 children without food. Also, while you're waiting, apply for emergency CalFresh replacement which can sometimes be processed in 3 days if you emphasize the children have no food. You'll need to fill out form CF 303 for benefit replacement. Lastly, I'd recommend removing the EBT app completely until this is resolved. Several counties have reported security issues with it in 2025.
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Brielle Johnson
•Thank you SO much for this detailed help! I didn't know about the CF 303 form or that there's a specific theft unit. I'll call right at 8am tomorrow and ask for the EBT theft specialist by name. And I've already deleted that app from my phone - never using it again after this nightmare.
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Clay blendedgen
I had almost the same situation and spent WEEKS trying to get through to my county office. Busy signals, disconnects, never-ending holds... I almost gave up. Then I found this service called Claimyr that got me through to a real person in minutes. You should check it out at claimyr.com - they have a video showing how it works at https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 They basically wait on hold for you and call you when a real person picks up. Total gamechanger for reaching the EBT fraud department when I had my benefits stolen. I finally got connected to the right person who could actually help with the claim.
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Ayla Kumar
•does that service actually work? i tried calling my county like 50 times last month about my SAR7 and kept getting hung up on by the stupid automated system
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Clay blendedgen
•@FrustratedMom456 Yeah it really does work. I was skeptical too but I was desperate after trying for days to reach someone. They call the county office, navigate all the phone menus for you, wait on hold, and then call you when they get a real person. Saved me literally hours of hold time.
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Lorenzo McCormick
Here's the actual protocol for EBT theft in California for 2025: 1. File police report (which you did - good) 2. Call EBT Customer Service (877-328-9677) to report theft and get a claim number 3. Contact your county office and request form CF 303 for benefit replacement 4. Submit the form with your police report number and claim number 5. If over 30 days with no response, you can file for expedited resolution by contacting the state CDSS office directly at (916) 651-8848 For immediate food needs while waiting, contact 211 for emergency food assistance programs that are better than the food pantries you've tried. There are some that specifically help families with children and provide a week's worth of food.
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Brielle Johnson
•This is incredibly helpful! I didn't know about the expedited resolution option. I already have the police report and claim number, so I'll submit the CF 303 tomorrow and then call that CDSS number since it's been over 30 days. And I'll definitely try 211 instead of the local pantry. Thank you so much!
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Carmella Popescu
i dont think its the app. my sister had her benefits stolen 3 times!!! and she never even used the app at all. she only used the physical card. turns out someone installed a skimmer at the atm she was using. now she only uses her ebt inside actual grocery stores with the cashier, not at atms or self-checkout. hasnt had problems since. also make sure ur checking for any weird plastic pieces on card readers. if it wiggles or looks glued on, dont use it!!!
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Brielle Johnson
•That's really interesting because I literally never used my replacement card at ANY store or ATM before the money disappeared. Activated it by phone, added to app, then never physically used it. That's why the police officer said it might be an inside job or the app itself. But good advice about skimmers - I'll be super careful if I ever get my benefits back and can actually use them!
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Oliver Brown
Update????? Did you get your benefits back or talk to anyone? I'm dealing with the same thing right now and need advice
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Brielle Johnson
•Small update - I finally got through to someone at the county after using that Claimyr service another commenter mentioned. They connected me with the EBT theft department who confirmed they're investigating both months of stolen benefits. They said I should get May's benefits back within 10 days since it's been over 30 days already. For June's stolen benefits, might take the full 30 days. They also helped me apply for emergency replacement benefits to get some food NOW while waiting. The worker said theft cases have exploded in 2025 and they're completely overwhelmed. Hope this helps with your situation too!
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Eloise Kendrick
This is absolutely infuriating! I'm so sorry you and your kids are going through this. The fact that benefits can be stolen so easily and then families have to wait WEEKS for help is just broken. I went through something similar last year and here's what finally worked for me: I called my county supervisor's office (not CalFresh directly) and explained that my children had no food due to EBT theft. The supervisor's office put pressure on the county CalFresh office and I got a callback within 2 days instead of waiting weeks. Sometimes you have to go above the regular workers to get action. Also, while you're fighting this, see if your kids qualify for free school meals if they're not already getting them. At least that covers breakfast and lunch during school days. Some schools even have weekend backpack programs with food to take home. Keep pushing and don't let them brush you off. You shouldn't have to choose between feeding your kids and waiting for the bureaucracy to do its job!
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Diego Vargas
•This is such great advice about contacting the county supervisor's office! I never would have thought to go that route. I'm definitely going to try that if the EBT theft department doesn't follow through on their promise to restore May's benefits in 10 days. And yes, thankfully my kids do get free school meals, but with summer break coming up that won't help much longer. The weekend backpack program sounds amazing - I'll ask the school counselor about that. It's just so frustrating that families have to jump through all these hoops when WE are the victims of theft!
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