EBT system down? Can't check CalFresh balance on phone or app today
Is anyone else having issues with the EBT system today? I've tried calling the number on the back of my card THREE times to check my CalFresh balance, but keep getting some automated message saying they "temporarily can't access accounts" or something. Thought maybe it was just the phone system, so I tried the EBT app too, but that's completely frozen - won't even load past the login screen! My benefits are supposed to be deposited today and I NEED to grocery shop. Anyone know what's happening or when it'll be fixed? Is this happening statewide or just in my county (Alameda)?
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Mateo Sanchez
same here!!! in LA county and cant get thru either. been trying since 8am
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Nia Wilson
•Ugh, so frustrating! Do you know if it's affecting actual purchases too? Like if I just go to the store and try to use my card will it work? I'm scared to drive all the way there and be embarrassed at checkout.
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Aisha Mahmood
This happens at least once every few months unfortunately. The entire EBT system goes down for maintenance or has technical issues. Usually it's back up within 24 hours, but I know that doesn't help when you need to shop today. The good news is that even when the balance checking systems are down, the actual payment processing at stores still works in most cases. Your best bet is to try using your card at the store - just be prepared with a backup payment method just in case.
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Nia Wilson
•Thank you! That makes me feel better about trying to use it at the store. Do you know if there's anywhere else we can check for updates about when the system will be back online?
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Aisha Mahmood
•You can check the BenefitsCal website (benefitscal.com) for system alerts sometimes. Also, each county's social services department might post updates on their website or social media. But honestly, they're not great about communicating these outages. If you need to reach a worker urgently about this, I'd recommend Claimyr (claimyr.com) - they can get you through to a live person at the county office instead of dealing with the automated systems. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8
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Ethan Clark
its not just u the whole sistems down i tried 2 check my balance at the atm and couldnt even do that
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AstroAce
I'm experiencing the same issue here in Riverside County. I spoke with my county worker this morning about an unrelated matter, and she confirmed they're having a major system outage affecting the IVR phone system, the mobile app, and parts of the card processing network. According to her, it's a statewide technical issue that their IT department is actively working on. Important things to know: 1. Your benefits have still been deposited if today is your usual deposit date 2. Most retailers can still process EBT purchases even during the outage 3. They expect the system to be back online by tomorrow morning If you absolutely need to check your balance, some ATMs still allow balance inquiries during these outages (though not all). Also, most grocery store customer service desks can run a balance check for you at the register.
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Nia Wilson
•Thank you SO MUCH for this detailed info! I really appreciate you sharing what you learned from your county worker. I'll try using my card at the store later today. It's a relief to know the benefits should still be there even if I can't check the balance.
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Yuki Kobayashi
•This happens way too often!! How are we supposed to budget properly when we can't even check our balances?! I've been on CalFresh for 3 years and it seems like the system goes down right around benefit deposit days. Feels intentional sometimes, I swear.
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Carmen Vega
DONT BOTHER CALLING THE COUNTY they just put me on hold for 45 mins and then said they cant help with ebt system problems and to "try again tomorrow" like thats helpful when my kids need to eat TODAY
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Andre Rousseau
•Try calling early in the morning, like right when they open at 8 AM. That's when the wait times are shortest. I called at 8:05 this morning about my recertification (unrelated to the system being down) and only waited about 10 minutes. But yeah, they probably can't do much about the actual system outage.
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Aisha Mahmood
UPDATE: Just checked and the system appears to be coming back online! I was just able to check my balance through the automated phone system. The app still seems glitchy, but the phone line is working now. Hope this helps anyone still having issues.
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Nia Wilson
•THANK YOU for the update! Just tried calling again and you're right - it's working now! My benefits were deposited correctly. What a relief!
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Mateo Sanchez
•still not working for me...maybe they're rolling it out county by county?
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Zoe Stavros
this isnt actually related to calfresh specifically its the whole ebt system so its affecting cash aid (calworks) accounts too. my sister couldnt access her cash benefits either. its a banking problem not just a calfresh problem
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Nia Wilson
•Thanks for clarifying! That makes sense - I guess it's all connected to the same payment system.
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Ethan Clark
has anyone else notced the system always goes down on like the 1st or 5th of the month when most ppl get there benefits? seems fishy to me
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AstroAce
•It's not a conspiracy, just poor system capacity planning. The EBT system experiences its highest volume of transactions and balance inquiries on benefit deposit days, which creates more strain on their servers. It's like how retail websites crash on Black Friday - they're not designed to handle the peak load efficiently. The state should invest in better IT infrastructure, but government systems are notoriously underfunded.
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Sofia Rodriguez
Just wanted to add that if anyone is still having trouble, you can also try using the ebtEDGE mobile app as a backup - sometimes when one system is down, the other might still work. Also, for future reference, most major grocery stores (Walmart, Target, Safeway, etc.) can do balance inquiries at customer service even when the phone/app systems are having issues. I learned this during a similar outage last year. Hope everyone was able to get their shopping done!
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Lola Perez
•Thanks for the tip about the ebtEDGE app! I didn't even know there was a second app option. I'll definitely remember that for next time. Also good to know about the customer service desks - I always feel awkward asking but it's better than being stuck not knowing your balance. Really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences and solutions in this thread!
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Hannah White
This is exactly why I always keep a written record of my balance after each grocery trip! I learned this trick from my mom who's been on benefits for years. I write down the remaining balance on the receipt or in my phone notes so I have a rough idea even when the system goes down. Obviously it's not perfect since pending transactions can affect it, but it's helped me avoid those embarrassing moments at checkout. Also, pro tip: some smaller independent grocery stores are more flexible about letting you know if your card gets declined before running the full transaction - they'll often let you remove items if needed.
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Mei Liu
•That's such a smart idea about keeping track of your balance manually! I wish I had thought of that before today's mess. I'm definitely going to start doing this - maybe I'll even create a simple spreadsheet to track my spending and remaining balance. Your mom sounds like she's got this system figured out! And thanks for the tip about smaller stores being more flexible. I usually shop at the big chains but maybe I should check out some local places too. It's so helpful when staff are understanding about these situations instead of making you feel bad about using benefits.
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Giovanni Rossi
Just went through this same nightmare yesterday! The system was down for almost 6 hours in my area (San Bernardino County). What helped me was going to a smaller grocery store where the cashier was really understanding - she let me try my card first with just a few items to test if it would go through before I loaded up my whole cart. Turns out the actual payment processing was working fine even though I couldn't check my balance. Also learned that some 7-Elevens have EBT balance check on their ATMs that sometimes work even when the main system is having issues. Definitely keeping a written log of my balance from now on after reading Hannah's advice - such a simple but brilliant solution!
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NeonNebula
•That's such a great approach with testing a small purchase first! I never thought of doing that but it makes total sense - way better than loading up a full cart and then finding out your card doesn't work. And thanks for the tip about 7-Eleven ATMs potentially working during outages, I'll definitely remember that. It's so refreshing to hear about cashiers and store staff who are understanding about EBT issues instead of making us feel embarrassed. This whole thread has been super helpful - I feel like I learned more practical tips here than I ever got from any official sources!
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