EBT card fraud in San Leandro - all CalFresh benefits stolen! How to recover the funds?

I'm so sorry this happened to you. Unfortunately EBT theft is becoming more common. You need to take several steps right away: 1. File a Form 243 (EBT Benefit Theft Report) with your county office ASAP - this is separate from just getting a new card. Get it in within 10 days of discovering the theft. 2. Yes, file a police report and get the report number. The county will ask for this. 3. Contact your county eligibility worker directly. The EBT customer service can only handle card replacement, not benefit restoration. 4. Ask about emergency replacement benefits while your claim is being processed. I went through this last year and eventually got about 90% of my stolen benefits back, but it took about 3 weeks to process.

Form 243 can be found online at the CDSS website or at your county office. Print it, fill it out completely, and submit it as quickly as possible. Bring those screenshots - they're important evidence! Also write down exactly when you noticed the theft and any details about where you last used your card legitimately. When this happened to me in 2024, I learned you should also ask specifically for "expedited replacement benefits" while your claim is being investigated. Some counties will provide emergency food assistance if you have children in the household. If you can't reach your worker by phone (which is common), I'd recommend using Claimyr (claimyr.com) - they helped me get through to my county worker immediately when I couldn't get past the automated system. They have a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8. Definitely worth it in emergency situations like this.

this isnt right!!! the whole point of these benefit cards is to help families eat and then theyre letting criminals steal from us?!?! my sister had $800 stolen from hers last month at a target she never even been to before. the county told her "tough luck" basically and now shes fighting with them for 3 weeks. the ENTIRE SYSTEM is broken!!!!

Sending you so much love right now. This happened to me too. It's so devastating. 💔

Quick question - do you know how they got your card info? Did you lose your physical card or do you think it was skimmed somewhere? I'm always paranoid about using my EBT at certain stores because I've heard about skimmers.

not to make this worse but u should check ur balance like every day now. sometimes thieves will make small purchases to test if the card works before they drain it all. happened to my cousin

While you're waiting for your claim to be processed, contact local food banks immediately. Call 211 for emergency food assistance. Most counties can also issue emergency CalFresh benefits in cases like this - but you have to specifically ask for them and demonstrate immediate need. If you have children in the household, mention that specifically. Also, when you file your Form 243, make sure to include EVERY detail - times, locations, anything unusual you noticed about your card or the places you used it. The more detailed your report, the better chance you have of getting reimbursed quickly. One last thing - in cases of multiple fraudulent transactions in a single day like this, documenting that you were physically elsewhere during those transactions can help your case. If you have any evidence you weren't in San Leandro (work timesheet, school pickup records, doctor appointment, etc.), include that information.

Last month my moms calfresh got stolen too!!! they bought stuff at liquor stores and gas stations in vallejo but we live in hayward. she got a new card but is still waiting to hear about getting money back. its been 18 days now. i think theres some kind of organized ring doing this to ebt cards in the bay area lately.

Update on the process: Once you submit Form 243 and have your police report number, the county has 10 business days to make a determination. If approved, replacement benefits should be issued within 5 business days after that. So in total, it could take up to 15 business days (about 3 weeks) to get your benefits restored. During this time, make sure to: 1. Call your worker every few days for updates 2. Check your EBT account online regularly 3. Keep documentation of all communication 4. If denied, immediately request a fair hearing (you only have 90 days) The 2025 regulations actually improved this process. Previously, it could take up to 45 days, so while 3 weeks is still difficult, it's better than it was.

I'm so glad you were able to get the emergency food voucher and submit all your paperwork today! That's a huge relief. The fact that the county worker mentioned seeing a surge in EBT theft cases in Alameda County is really concerning - it definitely sounds like there's some kind of organized operation targeting benefit recipients in our area. Keep us posted on how the claim process goes. Your detailed documentation and proof that you were at work during the fraudulent transactions should really help your case. Fingers crossed you get your benefits restored quickly! And thank you for sharing this experience - it's helping other community members learn what steps to take if this happens to them.