EBT theft in Sacramento area? Worried about CalFresh benefits being stolen

im in natomas and my neighbors ebt got skimmed last mnth at a gas station ATM. took all her $950 benefits in like 10 minutes. she had to wait 3 weeks to get it back. so its def happening up here 2. be careful!!!

EBT theft is unfortunately spreading throughout California, including Sacramento. Here's what you can do to protect yourself: 1. Change your PIN regularly (at least monthly) 2. Never share your PIN or card with anyone 3. Check for skimming devices at ATMs and point-of-sale terminals 4. Cover the keypad when entering your PIN 5. Monitor your balance regularly through the EBT app If your benefits are stolen, immediately: 1. Call EBT Customer Service (877-328-9677) to report theft 2. File a police report 3. Contact your county CalFresh office to request replacement benefits Sacramento County doesn't have special protections, but the state did recently implement a policy where victims of EBT theft can have benefits replaced (this wasn't always the case).

THEY ARE DOING NOTHING TO PROTECT US!!! My sister had her CalFresh stolen TWICE and the county made her jump through 50 hoops to get it back. First they said it was her fault for sharing her PIN (she NEVER did), then they said they couldn't replace benefits, then they said she had to come to the office in person during work hours???!! Meanwhile her kids had no food! The system is BROKEN and they don't care about us. EBT cards are ancient technology with ZERO security features. Why don't they use fingerprints or something instead of those stupid magnetic strips?

I struggled with this exact issue when my benefits were stolen last month. Spent DAYS trying to reach someone at Sacramento County. The phone system kept hanging up on me after 45+ minutes on hold. I finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) and got through to a real person in 20 minutes. They helped me file the theft report and get my benefits restored within 5 days. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 - seriously saved me when my family had nothing to eat. Much better than waiting outside the office at 6am hoping to get seen.

I work with low-income clients in Sacramento and I've seen a significant increase in EBT theft cases over the past 6 months. The most common methods right now are: 1. Skimming devices at stores 2. Fake phishing texts claiming to be from CalFresh 3. Card information stolen when used at compromised ATMs Be very cautious of texts asking you to "verify" your EBT information - CalFresh will NEVER text you asking for your card number or PIN. Also, if possible, only use your EBT at major grocery stores rather than small convenience stores or gas stations, which tend to have less security. If your benefits are stolen, you now have 90 days to report it for potential replacement (increased from the previous 30 days).

my cousin had her benefits stolen and she found out that it happened because she used it at that sketchy grocery store on Florin road, the one near the laundromat? apparently they had a skimmer on their card reader for like MONTHS 😡 now she only uses her EBT card at safeway and other big stores

i heard ur supposed to wiggle the card reader thing before u put ur card in. if it feels loose it might be a skimmer. also check ur balance on the app before AND after u shop so u notice rite away if somethings wrong

Thank you everyone for all the helpful replies! I just changed my PIN and downloaded the EBT app. Going to be much more careful about where I use my card from now on. I'll stick to the Safeway near me and Food Co rather than the corner stores. Still worried but at least I know what to do if something happens. Seems like Sacramento isn't immune after all. 😟