EBT card suddenly drained - CalFresh benefits stolen from account!

omg this happened to my neighbor last month!!! call the EBT card # on the back ASAP to report it stolen!!! some1 might have skimmed ur card. theres been a lot of that happening

You need to act quickly - this is unfortunately becoming more common with EBT cards. Call the EBT Customer Service number (1-877-328-9677) immediately to report unauthorized transactions. They'll deactivate your card and start an investigation. You should also contact your county CalFresh office to report the theft. They will likely ask you to fill out a 'Benefit Theft Report' form. Be prepared to give them details of the last legitimate purchase you made and any suspicious transactions you see. If your case is verified, you can get replacement benefits, but the process takes time - sometimes 2-3 weeks.

this happened to my sisters friend and she nevr got her money back they said she must have given someone her card but she DIDNT!!! the system is so broken they dont care about us

Your card was definitely skimmed. Thieves install tiny readers on store card machines that copy your card data, then they make duplicate cards. They can't get "cash" exactly, but they can use the fake card to buy food at other stores. It's been a huge problem lately! You absolutely need to call both EBT Customer Service AND your county office. The EBT hotline handles the card itself, but your county worker needs to note this in your case file and help with benefit replacement. My cousin had this happen in March and he spent 3 hours trying to reach someone at the LA County office before giving up. He finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through - they called and held his place in line then connected him when a worker was available. He showed me how it worked in this video: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 Make sure you document everything - dates, times, who you spoke with. The more organized your info, the faster they can help you.

I work as an eligibility worker with CalFresh (not sharing my county). This is unfortunately becoming more common. Here's what you need to do: 1. File a police report - this strengthens your claim 2. Call EBT Customer Service to report fraud (which you've done) 3. Contact your county office (also in progress) 4. Complete the CF 303 Benefit Theft Report form 5. Ask about emergency replacement benefits if you're in immediate need The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) has implemented new policies for EBT theft in 2025. Replacement benefits can be issued for stolen CalFresh if you report within 10 days of discovering the theft. You may be eligible for expedited replacement if you have children in the household. The investigation typically takes 5-10 business days, but emergency benefits can sometimes be issued faster.

Anyone saying you can't get benefits replaced is working with outdated information. The state enhanced protections for EBT theft victims in 2023 and again in 2025. I had $430 stolen in February and got every penny back after completing the process. One thing nobody mentioned: CHANGE YOUR PIN immediately when you get your new card. And start checking your balance after EVERY shopping trip. I check mine through the BenefitsCal app now. Also, I started putting my hand over the keypad whenever I enter my PIN because apparently thieves can have tiny cameras watching too. The customer service folks told me they're seeing a huge increase in these cases, especially in larger counties.

i thought calfresh and snap were different things?? i'm confused

UPDATE: Wanted to share what happened in case it helps someone else. After 2 weeks of back and forth, I finally got my benefits replaced! Had to complete the CF 303 form, provide a police report case number, and do a phone interview where they asked a bunch of questions about my shopping habits. The investigator said they've seen a huge spike in EBT theft cases and they're finding organized groups targeting certain grocery stores with skimming devices. They approved my claim after seeing that all the fraudulent purchases happened in a 3-hour period at stores 20+ miles from my home while I was at work (I provided a letter from my employer confirming my shift). I'm being super careful now - checking my balance after every purchase, covering the keypad when entering my PIN, and I even started taking my card out of my wallet only when I'm about to use it. Thank you all for your help during one of the scariest financial moments of my life!