EBT card suddenly cancelled with benefits still on it - second time in 4 months!!

yep this happened to me last month!! no explanation just cancelled. i had to call county office and sit on hold for almost 2 hrs to get someone to help. they said something about a 'security measure' but wouldnt explain more. got new card in about 5 days.

There have been a lot of EBT card cancellations lately due to potential security breaches. It's actually a protective measure, but county offices have been terrible about communicating this to recipients. Your benefits are safe and will automatically transfer to your new card. You have two options to speed things up: 1. Go to your county office in person with ID and they can often issue a temporary card same-day 2. Call your county's CalFresh office and request an emergency replacement - they can expedite shipping to 3 days if you explain it's your only food source

This is RIDICULOUS!!! The system is broken. I've had my card cancelled THREE TIMES in the past year with no warning and NO explanation!!! I'm convinced they do it on purpose to make it harder for us to use our benefits. Every time they cancel, it's at least 7 days for a new card, and then you have to update all your auto-payments for bills. I've been hit with late fees because of this garbage. And try explaining to your hungry kids why there's no food. The whole system needs to be OVERHAULED!!!

omg i literally just posted about this in another group!! my card stopped working yesterday at walmart. so embarassing with everybody behind me in line. didnt know it was cancelled until i saw ur post and checked by calling. ugh now i gotta figure out dinner for tonight. did anybody else get a new card pretty fast??

**UPDATE FOR EVERYONE HAVING THIS ISSUE:** I just checked with a colleague who works for CDSS. They confirmed there was a large batch of EBT cards cancelled on Monday due to a potential data breach at one of their processing centers. This affected approximately 35,000 cards statewide. To get the fastest replacement: 1. Call the EBT customer service line (not your county) at 1-877-328-9677 2. Specifically request an "emergency replacement due to the security breach" 3. Tell them you have no food resources and need expedited delivery They should be able to get you a card in 2-3 business days instead of the standard 7-10. Your benefits remain safe in your account throughout this process.

I work for a community organization that assists with benefit issues. In addition to the great advice already shared about expediting your replacement card, here are some emergency food options while you wait: 1. Your local food bank - many now offer same-day emergency boxes 2. Call 211 for immediate food assistance resources in your area 3. If you have school-aged children, many schools offer free dinner programs 4. Some counties have emergency grocery vouchers for situations exactly like this Don't be embarrassed to use these resources - that's exactly what they're there for!

does anyone know if this affects the cash benefits too or just the food part? i have rent due and was planning to withdraw my calworks money tomorrow...

update: went to county office in person this morning, waited 2hrs but got a temporary card right away! they transferred all my benefits to it. just fyi for anyone else dealing with this mess