EBT skimming theft reimbursement taking forever - anyone actually get their CalFresh benefits back?

mine got stolen on the 7th, $398 gone in one transaction at a store 50 miles away that i never been to. still waiting for reimbursement. they told me same thing, 30 days. this is the 3rd time this year, im so sick of it

I filed a claim on April 2nd and just got reimbursed yesterday (May 14th). So it took 42 days, not 30 like they promised. I called them 5 times during that period and got different answers every time. Last worker told me they're backed up with fraud claims because there's been a huge increase in skimming. You should ask your worker if you qualify for expedited benefits while waiting for the claim to process - I didn't know that was an option until too late.

Hey there - I work with a nonprofit that helps people navigate CalFresh issues, and unfortunately EBT theft is a HUGE problem right now. Here's what I tell our clients: 1. Make sure you filed the FTC report and police report in addition to the EBT theft claim 2. Call your county worker directly (not just the EBT customer service line) and explain the hardship 3. Ask specifically about 'emergency allotment due to theft' or 'hardship replacement' 4. If you have children, mention that they qualify for free school meals 5. Food banks can help in the meantime - most don't have income limits during emergencies Most people are getting reimbursed within 45-60 days right now, which is completely unacceptable for families. The system is overwhelmed with fraud cases.

this happend to ME TO!!! $489 gone on may 9th at some store in another county. called and they said 'investigatin in process' whatever that means. my friend got her money back after like 50 days last time. system is total garbage if u ask me

I'm in the middle of this nightmare too. Had $712 stolen on May 3rd. I've been calling EVERY DAY and finally got someone helpful yesterday who explained that there's different stages to the investigation: 1. Initial review (takes about 10 days) 2. Investigation stage (10-20 days) 3. Decision and processing (5-10 days) The worker I spoke with said they're currently processing claims from early April, so we're looking at another 3-4 weeks minimum. She did tell me a really important tip though - if you're using the physical EBT card, you should immediately switch to the virtual card in the BenefitsCal app and set up the PIN protection feature. Apparently the physical cards are much easier to skim. Also, don't bother calling the main EBT customer service line. You need to talk to your COUNTY CalFresh office directly - they're the ones who can actually check on your specific claim status and possibly issue emergency benefits.

I handle CalFresh cases as part of my job, and I want to clarify a few things about the EBT theft reimbursement process: 1. The official timeframe is indeed up to 30 days, but with the massive increase in skimming cases, many counties are taking 45-60 days to process claims. 2. You should request an emergency replacement allotment due to hardship. This is different from expedited benefits and specifically applies to theft situations. 3. Make sure you've changed your PIN and reported your physical card as compromised. Request a new card immediately. 4. California passed new regulations in 2025 that provide stronger protections for EBT theft victims, but the implementation has been slow. 5. Document every call, including date, time, and who you spoke with. This will be important if you need to escalate. If you're still unable to get assistance after multiple attempts, you can file for a state hearing - this often accelerates the process as counties prefer to resolve issues before formal hearings.

update on my situation: just got a letter saying they're denying my claim because 'insufficient evidence of theft' even tho it was literally at a store 50 miles away that i never been to??? now i gotta appeal this garbage. system is RIGGED

Update: Called my county office this morning (took 45 minutes to get through) and explained our situation with the kids having no food. The worker was actually really helpful and said they can issue a 'hardship replacement' for 60% of my stolen benefits while the investigation continues. Should be loaded onto my card within 3 business days. The worker mentioned they're seeing tons of these cases right now and the investigation team is overwhelmed. She also recommended switching to the virtual card through the app which has better security features. So that's something at least - 60% is better than nothing while we wait!

This is exactly what happened to me last month - $534 stolen from my card on March 15th. I'm a single mom with 3 kids and we were literally eating ramen for weeks while waiting. It took 52 days to get reimbursed, not the 30 they promised. What really helped was going to my county office IN PERSON instead of just calling. The worker there was able to fast-track an emergency food allotment for $200 while my case was pending. Also definitely file that police report - some counties require it for the claim to be processed. And please switch to the virtual card ASAP! I learned the hard way that the physical cards are basically sitting ducks for skimmers. Hang in there, the money will come but the system is definitely broken right now.

I'm so sorry this happened to you and your kids. EBT skimming is absolutely out of control right now and it's heartbreaking that families have to go through this. I had my benefits stolen twice in the past 6 months - first time took 38 days to get reimbursed, second time took 47 days. The "30 day" timeline they quote is basically meaningless at this point. A few things that helped me: 1. Call your county CalFresh office directly (not the EBT customer service) and specifically ask for "emergency food assistance due to EBT theft hardship" 2. Mention you have children - they prioritize cases involving kids 3. Ask about the mobile food pantries in your area - many don't require paperwork during emergencies 4. If you qualify for WIC, apply immediately as backup food assistance 5. Document EVERYTHING - dates, times, who you spoke with, case numbers The virtual EBT card in the app is much more secure but honestly the whole system needs an overhaul. Families shouldn't have to choose between rent and food because of criminals targeting the most vulnerable people. Keep calling every few days to check status - sometimes the squeaky wheel gets faster processing. Hang in there! 💙

I'm dealing with the exact same nightmare right now - had $425 stolen from my EBT card on May 8th at some sketchy convenience store I've never even heard of. Filed everything immediately but they're giving me the runaround about "30 days" while my family is struggling to eat. Reading through everyone's experiences here is both helpful and terrifying - sounds like we're all looking at 45-60 days minimum based on what people are actually experiencing. I'm definitely going to try calling my county office directly tomorrow instead of the useless EBT customer service line, and ask specifically about that hardship replacement for 60% of benefits that @Zara Shah mentioned. Also switching to the virtual card ASAP because clearly these physical cards are just targets for thieves. It's absolutely insane that families with kids are expected to just wait months without food assistance because criminals are exploiting a broken system. Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences and tips - at least we're not going through this alone. Going to start documenting every call and visit from now on too.