EBT skimming alert - change your PIN at midnight before benefit day?

You're confusing CalFresh and CalWORKs. CalFresh (food stamps) is ONLY for food purchases - you cannot withdraw cash from a CalFresh EBT account. CalWORKs benefits can be withdrawn as cash. As for the PIN change strategy, it's a good security measure but not foolproof. The best protection is: 1. Change your PIN regularly (not just at midnight before benefits) 2. Check your EBT account frequently for suspicious activity 3. Never share your PIN with anyone 4. Cover the keypad when entering your PIN at stores 5. Avoid using EBT at sketchy or unfamiliar stores If you're experiencing repeated skimming, you should report it to both the EBT customer service (1-877-328-9677) and your county CalFresh office for faster resolution.

we had this happen 2 our whole apartment complex last month!!! security cameras showed sum1 installed a skimmer on the corner store ATM where everyone uses their EBT. manager didn't even apologize just said we should go 2 the safeway instead. took me 19 days to get my money back and my kids birthday was during that time had to cancel her party cuz no $$$

I work with CalFresh recipients, and skimming has become a major issue. Here's what's actually happening: 1. Changing your PIN at midnight won't fully protect you - sophisticated skimmers capture both your card data and PIN when you use the card 2. The California Department of Social Services is implementing new chip cards starting this year (2025) to reduce theft 3. Until then, use these safer practices: - Use your EBT at major grocery stores, not corner stores/gas stations - Check for loose card readers before inserting (wiggle it) - Set up BenefitsCal alerts to notify you of transactions - Report suspicious activity immediately If your benefits are stolen, file a claim within 90 days. The county must provide provisional credit within 10 days while they investigate if your claim is complete.

The PIN change at midnight thing was actually a recommendation from CDSS last year, but they've backed off that advice since it doesn't fully protect against the latest skimming technology. The real issue is that California still uses magnetic stripe cards which are easy to clone. If you're getting your benefits stolen regularly, try requesting a replacement card and using it ONLY at major grocery chains that have updated their security. Avoid ATMs entirely for EBT transactions - even the bank ones can have skimmers. Btw if you're having trouble reaching a county worker to report theft, try using Claimyr.com - it helps you get through the phone queues faster. Saved me hours last month when my benefits were stolen. There's a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8

My brother got his benefits stolen three months in a row!!! The social services lady told him to switch to direct deposit to his bank account instead of using the EBT card but when we looked into it they said CalFresh doesn't do direct deposit??? So confusing. Why don't they just fix the stupid cards. My bank card has a chip and tap to pay but my EBT card is from like 1995 with the stripe that any idiot can copy.

I couldn't afford groceries for my kids for THREE WEEKS because someone stole all my April benefits while I was asleep, hadn't even used my card yet! Went to the store the next morning and my balance was $7.28 from the $980 that should have been there. I had to beg my county worker to expedite the claim investigation but she said there was nothing she could do to speed it up. Finally got reimbursed but the whole experience was humiliating and now I'm paranoid every month. One trick that's helped me - I keep my EBT card in the freezer in a ziploc bag until I'm ready to use it. Can't get skimmed if your card is literally frozen! Then I only take it out when I'm heading directly to a store I trust. Is it annoying? Yes. But I haven't been skimmed since I started doing this.

Just a heads-up for everyone in this thread: The California EBT system will be down for maintenance from February 3-4, 2025 (next weekend) from 11 PM Saturday until 8 AM Sunday. If you're planning to do your beginning-of-month shopping during that time, you'll need to reschedule. This is part of the security upgrades they're implementing to address the skimming issues. If you haven't already, download the ConnectEBT mobile app - it lets you temporarily freeze and unfreeze your card between uses, which is another layer of protection against skimming.

Another thing that's helped me is signing up for text alerts through the EBT customer service line. You can set it up so you get a text every time your card is used, with the amount and location. That way if someone skims your card, you'll know within minutes instead of finding out days later when you go to buy groceries. Also, I've started taking photos of the card readers before I use them. Sounds paranoid but it only takes 2 seconds and if there's a skimmer installed, you'll have evidence for the police report. The legit readers are usually flush with the machine, but skimmers often stick out a little or look slightly different in color. Stay safe everyone - these scammers are getting more sophisticated but we can protect ourselves if we stay vigilant!