EBT theft crisis - CalFresh only replacing stolen benefits once every 3 years!

OMG THIS HAPPENED TO ME TOO!! my whole $540 was gone in march. i have 3 kids to feed & the county took almost a month to replace it. now im paranoid every time benefits load. i check my balance like 5 times a day & rush to spend it all at once even tho thats not how i want to shop. this policy is INSANE with how common skimming is now!!

The one-time replacement policy is actually a federal regulation, not just a CalFresh decision. However, there's been recent legislation addressing this issue. As of October 2023, states can request waivers from FNS to provide additional replacements for households experiencing multiple thefts. California has submitted a waiver request, but it's still pending approval. In the meantime, you can protect yourself by: - Setting up EBT account alerts so you're notified of all transactions - Using the BenefitsCal app to freeze/unfreeze your card between uses - Avoiding stores with card skimming histories - Never sharing your PIN or responding to texts about your EBT If you experience theft again, still report it. Document everything. The county should provide you with a form denying replacement that you can use if the waiver is approved retroactively.

the news station prob wont care tbh... they only want stories that get views and poor people problems dont get views. ive had my benefits stolen 3 different times and now i just cash out my whole balance at the atm as soon as it hits my account. its the only way to be safe even tho we lose the extra food benefit discount at grocery stores

I had my benefits stolen twice too ($390 in January and $390 again in April). After the second time, I was told the same thing about the 36-month rule. I was crying in the CalFresh office because that money was ALL I had for food for my disabled mother and myself. The worker suggested I file a police report and bring it back to them. She said sometimes with a police report, they can make exceptions. I did that, and after three weeks of following up every other day, they did replace my second theft! Try that route - it might help your case.

I've been dealing with the same issue - benefits stolen twice in 6 months! I spent HOURS trying to reach someone at the county office. Always busy signals or being disconnected after waiting 2+ hours. I finally used Claimyr.com to get through to a real person about my stolen benefits. Their service calls the county for you and connects you when they reach a real person - saved me days of frustration. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 I still only got the one replacement because of that stupid policy, but at least I didn't waste days trying to reach someone. The worker I finally spoke with said they're getting hundreds of theft reports every week now.

I work in a community legal aid office, and we're seeing this problem constantly now. Here's what you need to know: 1. The one-replacement-per-36-months policy comes from Federal Regulation 7 CFR 273.16, but as mentioned above, states can now request waivers. 2. California Assembly Bill 46 passed in early 2024 requires CDSS to pursue this waiver AND create better anti-theft protection for EBT cards. However, implementation has been slow. 3. For anyone who's had multiple thefts, document EVERYTHING. Keep: - Police report numbers - Dates and times of all calls to the county - Names of workers you speak with - Screenshots of your EBT account showing the unauthorized transactions 4. If you're denied a replacement after a second theft, specifically request an administrative hearing within 90 days. The hearing process sometimes results in favorable outcomes even when initial requests are denied. 5. Multiple legal aid organizations are collecting information for a potential class action lawsuit on this issue. Consider contacting your local legal aid office if you've been affected.

I started a facebook group about this!!!! its called "California EBT Theft Victims" and we have almost 600 ppl already. everyone posts when they get their benefits stolen and which stores to avoid. we're trying to organize people to all contact news stations on the same day to get attention on this!!!!

Has anyone tried the chip-enabled EBT cards? My worker mentioned California is slowly rolling them out to help prevent skimming. I'm on the waitlist but they said it could be months before I get one in my county.

This is absolutely infuriating! I'm a single mom with two kids and had my benefits stolen twice in the last 5 months - $467 in December and $421 just last month. The stress of not knowing if your food money will be there when you need it is unbearable. I've been following some of the advice here - downloaded the BenefitsCal app to freeze my card between uses, joined the Facebook group someone mentioned, and I'm definitely going to file for that administrative hearing. The fact that we have to become experts on federal regulations and jump through all these hoops just to feed our families is ridiculous. What really gets me is how the county workers act like WE'RE the problem when we report theft. Like we're trying to scam the system instead of being victims of actual criminals. The whole system needs an overhaul, and I'm ready to fight for it. Count me in for any coordinated media outreach or legal action!