EBT card showing unauthorized ATM withdrawal in different county - CalFresh benefits missing

You need to report this immediately! Call 1-877-328-9677 (the EBT customer service) right away to report the card stolen. Yes, they're open 24/7, but weekend wait times are horrible. When you get through, tell them exactly what happened - they'll deactivate your card, send you a new one, and start an investigation into the fraudulent withdrawal. You should also report this to your county office on Monday morning. Unfortunately, you'll have to wait for the investigation to complete before getting those benefits back, but they should reimburse you if it's determined to be fraud.

I've called that number like 5 times already and keep getting disconnected after waiting 30+ minutes! Is there anything else I can do? I literally have no food in the house and was counting on these benefits.

omg this happened to my sister last month!! her money was taken from an atm in san diego but we live in oakland. she had to file a police report and everything. took almost 3 weeks to get her money back :

3 WEEKS?? What did she do for food during that time? Did she have to get the police report before calling EBT customer service?

she went to a food bank and borrowed money from family. the police report was after calling ebt, they told her to do it

The same thing happened to me but it wasn't an ATM withdrawal, it was purchases at a grocery store 300 miles away!! The EBT fraud department is COMPLETELY USELESS! I had to call 14 TIMES before someone actually helped me. They make it almost IMPOSSIBLE to get your money back on purpose. They'll tell you the investigation takes 10-15 business days but it took them almost 2 MONTHS for me!! I had to go to THREE different food banks to feed my kids. The whole system is set up to punish people even when it's THEIR fault for having such poor security on the cards!!

That's really scary to hear. I don't understand how someone could have gotten my card info when I've had it in my wallet the whole time. Do they ever deny the claims completely?

try Claimyr, seriously saved me when I had EBT fraud last year. its this service where u put ur number and they call the EBT line for u and when they get a rep they call u to connect. i was on hold for 2hrs before i found it, with claimyr i got through in like 20min. they have a demo video at https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 and their site is claimyr.com

Thanks, I'll try that. At this point I'll try anything to get through to a real person! Did they help you get your benefits back quickly?

ya they connected me straight to fraud dept. took about 2 weeks to get money back but at least i got thru to report it. make sure u ask for an 'expedited claim' when u talk to them

It sounds like your card information was skimmed. This has become very common with EBT cards since they don't have the same security features as regular credit/debit cards. Here's what you need to do:\n\n1. Keep calling the EBT customer service (1-877-328-9677) until you get through - they are definitely open 24/7\n2. Report your card stolen and request a replacement immediately\n3. File a police report (this creates an official record of the fraud)\n4. Contact your county CalFresh office first thing Monday morning\n5. Ask for emergency replacement benefits while your claim is being investigated\n\nBecause this was fraud, you should get your benefits back, but it typically takes 10-15 business days for the investigation. Make sure you get the claim number when you report it. In the meantime, look for local food banks or emergency food assistance programs.

Thank you for the detailed steps! What do you mean by

Card skimming is when someone installs a hidden device on a legitimate card reader (like at a store or ATM) that secretly copies your card information. With that data, they can create a duplicate card. \n\nFor emergency assistance, you're right that it's not the same as expedited benefits for new applicants. However, in fraud cases, some counties will issue a partial replacement while the investigation is ongoing if you have no other resources for food. This is at their discretion though. Be sure to emphasize your immediate need when you talk to your county worker. Also, ask them about local emergency food resources they can refer you to.

im sorry ur dealing with this its so stressful. make sure u never share ur PIN with anyone and always cover the keypad when entering it at stores. i started taking a picture of my balance after each shopping trip so i have proof of what should be there. did u recently use ur card at a sketchy store? sometimes they have skimmers installed

I only use my card at the same 2-3 stores, but one is a small market so maybe they had something there? Taking pictures of my balance is a good idea though, I'll start doing that with my new card.

My neighbor works for the county and told me there's been a HUGE increase in EBT fraud lately. Something about the magnetic strips being easy to copy. You might want to check if you can switch to a chip card when you get your replacement. I think they're finally rolling those out this year.

This is correct. California is finally implementing chip cards for EBT in 2025, though the rollout is happening county by county. When you get your replacement card, specifically ask if chip cards are available in your county yet. If they are, request one. They're much more secure against skimming, though you should still guard your PIN carefully.

Have you been able to get through to customer service yet? If not, try calling exactly at 6:00 AM when the call volume is lowest. Also, since you have no food right now, call 211 and ask about emergency food assistance in your area. Many food banks can provide same-day emergency boxes, and some counties have agreements with certain grocery stores to provide emergency food vouchers in situations like this.

I finally got through! Used that Claimyr service someone mentioned above and it worked. They've canceled my card and are sending a new one that should arrive in 3-5 business days. They started an investigation but said it could take up to 15 business days to get my benefits back. I'm going to call 211 right now to find emergency food assistance for the meantime. Thanks everyone for your help!