EBT card skimmed - will reissued CalFresh benefits appear on BenefitsCal before new card arrives?

Yes, your reissued benefits should appear in your BenefitsCal account before your physical card arrives. The system updates the benefit amount electronically, which is separate from the card shipping process. You should be able to log into your account and see the transaction history showing the reissued amount. However, you won't be able to access those funds until you activate your new card when it arrives. The timeline for benefit reissuance is typically 5-10 business days after the fraud report is processed, so check your account daily.

omg this happened to me too!! so frustrating. my benefits did show up online like 3 days before i got the new card. make sure u keep checking ur balance daily. also they might call u to verify the fraud report mine took almost 2 weeks to get the benefits back 😠

They should send you a letter confirming when the benefits are reissued, but the online system updates first. I had this problem and could see my reissued benefits on BenefitsCal about 4 days before my card arrived. BUT I've heard from others that sometimes the benefits don't get reloaded until the new card is activated. It seems to vary by county.

I experienced this exact situation last month with my CalFresh benefits. The stolen benefits appeared in my BenefitsCal account 7 business days after reporting, but my card took 9 days to arrive. One important thing - when you get the new card, you need to call and activate it immediately, as the system sometimes doesn't properly connect your reissued benefits to the new card until activation. The EBT customer service was actually helpful with this (surprisingly). Also, while waiting for your new card, you might want to request emergency CalFresh benefits if you're completely out of food. You'll need to contact your county office directly, and I know how frustrating that can be with the long wait times. I discovered a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to a real person at the CalFresh office in under 10 minutes instead of waiting for hours. They have a demo video that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8. Really helped during my emergency situation.

Just to add some important information: California has started rolling out additional EBT security measures in 2025 to prevent skimming. When you get your new card, it should have enhanced security features including a chip (similar to credit cards) and the ability to lock/unlock your card using the BenefitsCal app or website. To directly answer your question - yes, typically the benefits will show on BenefitsCal before your physical card arrives. The benefits and the card are processed by different departments. Make sure to check under both your 'Available Balance' and 'Pending Transactions' sections, as sometimes reissued benefits appear as pending for 24-48 hours before becoming available.

THE SAME THING HAPPENED TO ME and it was HORRIBLE!!! They told me the benefits would be reissued in 3-5 days but it took FIFTEEN DAYS!!! And yes they showed up online before my card came but what good does that do when you CANT ACCESS YOUR FOOD MONEY?!?! The whole system is BROKEN and nobody cares about us!!! I had to borrow money from my sister to feed my kids!

quick tip - when ur new card comes dont activate it at a store!! call the number on the back. my friend tried to activate at a store and it didnt work right and she couldnt get her money for another day

Just checking back - have you been able to see the reissued benefits in your account yet? Also, remember that after you get your new card and activate it, you should create a PIN that's different from your old one. And never share your PIN with anyone or enter it if someone is watching. Unfortunately, EBT skimming has increased by about 35% in 2025 compared to previous years.

That's such great news that your benefits showed up! I went through this same nightmare about 6 months ago. One thing I learned - once you get your new card and activate it, I'd recommend checking a few different ATMs or stores to make sure the card is working properly before doing a big grocery run. Sometimes there can be glitches with the new card even after activation. Also, if you haven't already, document everything (dates, case numbers, who you spoke with) in case you need to follow up. The whole process is so stressful but it sounds like you're almost through it!