EBT card skimmed at Sam's Club I don't shop at - $550 stolen! What do I do with CalFresh?

This is happening A LOT lately with CalFresh EBT cards. You need to do these things immediately: 1. Call the EBT customer service number on the back of your card to report the fraud and have your card deactivated 2. Request a new card 3. File a fraud report with them (they'll give you a confirmation number) 4. Contact your county worker and tell them you've already done steps 1-3 5. Ask specifically for "EBT cash adjustment due to fraud" The county CAN replace stolen benefits, but you have to act fast. They're usually replacing them within 10 business days if you follow the process correctly.

omg this happened to my sister last month!! they took $320 from her at some store in another city. she got the money back but it took like 3 weeks and she had to fill out a bunch of paperwork. call them TODAY don't wait

They're claiming it was used at a place you never went to? That's definitely fraud. Same thing happened to me but they said I used it at a Walmart in FLORIDA when I live in California and have never even been to Florida! The whole system is broken and they don't protect our benefits at all. They make it so difficult to get the money back too. I had to call like 10 times and got disconnected EVERY SINGLE TIME. Then they try to make you feel like you did something wrong.

I'm so sorry this happened to you! The same thing happened to me back in October 2024. Someone stole about $475 from my EBT at a grocery store 200 miles away. Here's exactly what I did to get my benefits back: 1. Called the EBT customer service number (not your worker) to report it stolen 2. Got a new card issued immediately 3. Filed a police report (this helped speed things up) 4. Called my county worker with the EBT fraud report number 5. Submitted the CA Benefit Theft Form (ask your worker for this specifically) I got my benefits back in 7 business days. Make sure you specifically ask for the "CalFresh Benefit Theft Replacement" - those exact words. Some workers don't know the correct process.

The exact same thing happened to me in January! I woke up and $628 was stolen from my EBT at a store I've never been to. What all these other people are saying is right - you NEED to call EBT customer service first, not your county worker. But here's what nobody told me: SAVE YOUR TRANSACTION HISTORY before you report it! Screenshot everything showing the fraudulent transaction because sometimes when they issue a new card, you can't see the old transaction history anymore.

This is unfortunately becoming extremely common with CalFresh EBT cards because they don't have chip technology like regular debit cards. Criminals install skimmers on card readers that steal your card information when you swipe. According to California state regulations updated in 2025, you're entitled to replacement benefits if you report the theft within 30 days. The process requires: 1. EBT customer service report (1-877-328-9677) 2. Form CF 303 - Statement of Facts for Stolen Benefits 3. Your county worker to process the replacement request The regulations give them up to 10 days to replace benefits, but you can request an expedited replacement if you have no food. Make sure to use the phrase "immediate need due to benefit theft" when speaking with your worker.

this is why i always take all my money off my ebt card the day it loads now!!! cant steal whats not there

UPDATE: I just got off the phone with EBT customer service. They confirmed it WAS fraud, deactivated my card, and are sending me a new one that should arrive in 3-5 business days. They gave me a fraud case number and told me to call my county worker now. Going to do that next and will specifically ask for the CF 303 form and use the phrase "immediate need due to benefit theft" like you all suggested. Thank you everyone for all your help! I'll update again once I talk to my worker.

Just wanted to share that when this happened to me, I found that checking my local food bank helped in the meantime while waiting for the benefits to be restored. Most food banks will provide emergency food without all the usual paperwork if you explain your EBT was stolen. Also, check with your kids' schools - many have emergency food programs for families in exactly this situation. Doesn't solve the long-term problem but might help with the immediate need for food.

I'm a CalFresh case worker and I see this happening more and more frequently. Just want to add a few important points to what others have shared: 1. When you call your county worker, ask specifically if your county participates in the "EBT Benefit Theft Replacement Program" - not all counties process these the same way 2. If your worker seems unfamiliar with the process, ask to speak with a supervisor who handles benefit theft cases 3. You may be eligible for emergency CalFresh benefits while waiting for your stolen benefits to be replaced - this is called "expedited processing" and you should specifically ask for it 4. Keep ALL documentation - fraud report numbers, case numbers, dates/times of calls, worker names Also, once you get your new card, consider only using it at stores with newer card readers that have chip slots, and always cover the keypad when entering your PIN. The older swipe-only readers are much more vulnerable to skimming devices. Hope this helps and you get your benefits restored quickly!

I'm so sorry this happened to you! EBT card skimming is unfortunately becoming a huge problem. I went through the exact same thing last year - $400 stolen from a store I'd never been to. Here's what worked for me: 1. You've already called EBT customer service which is great - make sure you get that fraud case number in writing 2. When you call your county worker, be prepared that they might not know the process right away. I had to escalate to a supervisor 3. Ask specifically for emergency food benefits while you wait - they can often approve these same day if you explain you have kids and no food 4. File a police report if you can - it's not required but it helped speed up my case The whole process took about 2 weeks for me, but I did get emergency benefits within 48 hours. Don't let them brush you off - you're entitled to have these stolen benefits replaced under California law. Stay persistent and document everything. You've got this!

This is such a nightmare situation and I'm so sorry you're dealing with this! The good news is that everyone here has given you excellent advice and you're taking all the right steps. One thing I wanted to add that I don't think anyone mentioned - if you're having trouble getting through to your county worker or if they seem slow to respond, you can also try contacting your local CalFresh office directly instead of going through the main county number. Sometimes the local offices are more responsive and the workers there are more familiar with benefit theft cases. Also, while you're waiting for everything to get sorted out, check if there are any churches or community organizations near you that do emergency food distribution. Many don't require any paperwork and can help bridge the gap while you're waiting for your benefits to be restored. You're doing everything right by acting quickly and being proactive. With three kids to feed, this has to be so stressful, but it sounds like you have a solid plan now. Keep us posted on how it goes with your county worker - we're all rooting for you to get this resolved fast!

I'm so sorry this happened to you! As someone who works at a local food bank, I want to echo what others have said about seeking emergency food assistance while you wait for your benefits to be restored. Most food banks and pantries have specific protocols for families dealing with EBT theft - you don't need to feel embarrassed about asking for help, this is exactly what these services are designed for. When you visit, bring any documentation you have about the theft (your EBT fraud case number, etc.) as it can help expedite the process. Many locations also partner with local schools and can provide kid-friendly foods and snacks that work well for families. Also, if you have WIC benefits, make sure those weren't compromised too - sometimes criminals target multiple benefit programs. You've gotten great advice here about the CalFresh replacement process, so I won't repeat that, but please don't hesitate to use community resources while you wait. That's what they're there for! Wishing you a quick resolution to this nightmare situation.