EBT card skimming took my CalFresh benefits - how long until funds restored?

same thing happened to me last month!! took 12 days to get my money back but i heard some people waiting longer. make sure u file police report too they made me do that

I work as an advocate and unfortunately EBT skimming has become extremely common in California. The process typically takes 10-30 days depending on your county. Here's what you need to do: 1. File a police report (get case number) 2. Contact your county CalFresh office with the police report number 3. Ask for emergency replacement benefits while your claim is processed 4. Request a new EBT card with a PIN that's not easy to guess 5. Check BenefitsCal for updates on your claim status Most counties are now offering emergency replacements within 3-5 days while they investigate the full claim. The complete investigation takes longer but you shouldn't have to wait for food assistance.

watch out bc they might say u were careless w/ ur card or pin or somethin... happened to my cousin and they denied her claim sayin she mustve given her card to someone which she DIDNT! be super clear the card never left ur possession

I had this happen in January 2025. The county worker told me they're seeing a huge increase in EBT skimming. My claim took 22 days to process, but I was able to get emergency replacement benefits after 4 days. One thing I learned - if you're unable to reach anyone at the county office by phone (which is extremely common), try using Claimyr.com. It's a service that gets you through to a real person at government agencies without waiting on hold for hours. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 It helped me get connected to a worker who could actually process my emergency benefits request right away instead of waiting for someone to return my voicemail.

This is becoming a HUGE problem! The county offices are totally overwhelmed with skimming cases. Here's what's frustrating - they KNOW their system is vulnerable but won't implement chip cards like regular debit cards have!!! I was told by a worker that over 50% of their calls are now about skimming. I got my money back after 18 days but only because I called EVERY SINGLE DAY. Be persistent!!

i had my benefits skimmed twice last year and weirdly it was different timing each time? first time took almost a month but second time was only like 9 days. i think it depends on how busy they are with claims. definitely apply for emergency benefits though, they can give you partial benefits while you wait for the investigation

When this happened to me, I called the county office 5 times without getting through. Finally went in person and found out they had a special Benefit Theft Response Team that handles these cases faster. Ask specifically if your county has one! Mine took 15 days total but I got emergency benefits within 3 days of visiting the office. They replaced 60% immediately and the rest after the investigation. Also, they might ask if you used your card at certain types of stores - apparently skimming devices are more common at certain retailers. Be honest about where you've used it.

Quick update on this issue: Starting in March 2025, California CDSS implemented new policies regarding benefit theft. They're now required to provide emergency replacement benefits within 5 business days for households experiencing hardship. The full investigation still takes 15-30 days, but you shouldn't go without food assistance during that time. Make sure to specifically request the emergency replacement under the new policy.

I'm so sorry this happened to you! EBT skimming has become such a nightmare for families. I went through this exact situation 3 months ago - $623 stolen from my card overnight. Here's what I learned that might help you: 1. Document EVERYTHING - take screenshots of your BenefitsCal account showing the fraudulent transactions, write down exact dates/times/amounts 2. When you call, ask to speak with a "case manager" or "supervisor" - regular customer service can't always process emergency benefits 3. If they give you a claim number, write it down and reference it in every call 4. Check your account daily going forward - I caught my second attempted fraud within hours because I was monitoring it My emergency benefits took 6 days (this was before the new March policy) and full restoration took 19 days. The stress is awful but most people do get their money back. Stay persistent and don't let them brush you off. Your family deserves to eat while they investigate!