EBT theft from our CalFresh account this morning - can't get clear answers on what to do

I'm so sorry this happened to you! I went through this last year and it's incredibly stressful. You need to take these exact steps to report the theft and get your benefits replaced: 1. File a police report ASAP - get a copy of the report number 2. Fill out the EBT-2259 form (Benefit Theft Report) - you can download it from the BenefitsCal website or get it from your county office 3. Submit the completed form along with the police report number to your county office (in person is fastest) 4. Request an expedited replacement due to household hardship By law, they have to replace stolen electronic benefits within 10 days of your completed report. Make sure you document every call and who you speak with. If someone tells you they can't help, ask specifically who CAN help with EBT theft and get transferred.

happened too my neighbor last month! they got there beneifts back in like 2 weeks but they had to keep calling everyday. its probably those skimmers people are putting on the card machines. did u use ur card at a gas station or atmm recently??

THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO MAKE THIS IMPOSSIBLE!!! I had $1,200 stolen last October and the county kept passing me around between departments for WEEKS. First they said I needed a police report, then they said I needed to fill out some special form, then they rejected it because I didn't include the right "evidence" of theft. Meanwhile my kids were HUNGRY! Eventually I got replacement benefits but it took almost a MONTH and I had to talk to a supervisor's supervisor. The regular workers either don't know the procedure or don't care. You need to be PERSISTENT and document EVERYTHING.

I'm dealing with the exact same thing right now! My benefits were stolen last week ($765) and I've been getting the complete runaround. After calling the county office for three days and being disconnected or told to call different numbers, I finally used Claimyr.com to get through to an actual worker. They have this service where they wait on hold for you and call when a real person answers. Saved me hours of frustration and I was able to get the right form submitted yesterday. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 The worker I finally spoke to said that benefit theft claims have exploded in 2025 and most county offices are backlogged. For emergency food while waiting, ask specifically about the "Immediate Need" program - some counties can issue emergency benefits within 3 days if you emphasize you have no food.

make sure u ask for replacement benifits not just report the theft!! my cosin just reported the theft but didnt specificly ask for replacment and they didnt give her any new benifits!!

Just to clarify a few things that might help you navigate this better: 1. The EBT-2259 form is specifically for reporting benefit theft - it's different from a police report but you need both 2. There's a difference between card theft (physical card stolen) and electronic theft (card skimmed/copied). For electronic theft where your physical card is still in your possession, you need to emphasize this on the form 3. For immediate food needs while waiting for replacement, ask about: - Emergency CalFresh supplemental benefits (3-day emergency issuance) - County General Assistance emergency food vouchers - WIC if you have children under 5 (separate program but can help) 4. Request an "Expedited State Hearing" if they don't process your claim within 10 days Keep calling until you get someone who knows the procedure. Unfortunately many workers aren't properly trained on theft replacement procedures since it's become more common only recently.

Call your county supervisor's office! Seriously this worked for me when nothing else did. Google your county + board of supervisors, call their office and explain the situation. They can often cut through red tape that regular workers can't.

Update: After getting nowhere all day yesterday, I tried Claimyr this morning to get through to an actual person at the county (thanks for that tip!). Finally spoke with someone who knew what they were talking about. Apparently there's been a HUGE increase in EBT theft and they've updated their procedures. Here's what I had to do: 1. Filed police report online (got case #) 2. Filled out EBT-2259 form 3. Had to provide transaction details showing where benefits were used fraudulently 4. Submitted everything via the BenefitsCal portal AND in person 5. Requested emergency replacement benefits due to household hardship They're supposed to process it within 7-10 days. Meanwhile, they referred me to 3 food banks and gave me emergency vouchers good for $280 worth of groceries to use immediately. Still stressful but at least we have some food now. Will update when/if we get our benefits back!

Great job navigating this difficult situation! Those emergency vouchers should help in the meantime. Two more tips that might help others dealing with EBT theft: 1. Request a new EBT card immediately with a different number to prevent future theft 2. Once you get your replacement benefits, consider using the EBT card lock feature in the EBT mobile app - you can lock your card between uses to prevent unauthorized transactions Also, for anyone reading this thread in the future, California implemented new theft protection measures in late 2024, so you now have 90 days to report EBT theft (previously it was only 30 days). The county must process valid claims within 10 calendar days.