EBT theft protection - Worth changing PIN night before deposit day for CalFresh benefits?

Yes! I've been changing my PIN the night before deposit day for 4 months now and haven't had any issues since. I was hit twice last year and lost over $1,300 before I started doing this. I use the BenefitsCal app to change it around 8pm the night before. The important thing is NEVER use the same PIN twice in a row. I rotate between 4 different numbers that are meaningful to me but not obvious (like birthdays). Also, cover the keypad when entering your PIN and check for anything loose/weird on the card reader.

this dosnt work if they clone ur card it dosnt matter wat PIN u use they still get ur $$. happened to my cousin in Fresno they got her whole months benefits even tho she had changed her pin a week b4. some stores got those fake skimmer things that look real

County eligibility worker here. Changing your PIN regularly is a smart precaution, but it won't protect against all types of fraud. Skimmers can capture both your card number and PIN simultaneously. The most effective protection is requesting a new EBT card entirely (with a new card number) every few months. Also important to know: California does have a limited theft replacement program running through September 2025, but it only covers thefts reported within 10 days and has a maximum replacement amount of $3,000 per household. The claim forms are submitted directly to the state, not through your county office.

I've been dealing with the EBT theft nightmare for over a year now. Changing PIN helps but isn't foolproof. Here's what actually works for me: 1. Get a new card with new number every 3 months 2. Change PIN monthly (yes, before deposit day) 3. IMMEDIATELY transfer benefits to a second EBT account (you can have a household member get an authorized card) 4. Only keep $100 on your main card at a time 5. NEVER use EBT at gas stations or corner stores 6. Check your balance daily through the app Basically, don't keep all benefits on the main card. Split them up when possible. It's extra work but worth not losing everything.

I tried the PIN changing thing for a few months but honestly it was too much hassle and I kept forgetting my new numbers. What worked better for me was just transferring my benefits to my backup card as soon as they hit my account. My husband has an authorized user card on my case, so I just move most of the money to his card and keep a small amount on mine for regular shopping. The county office also told me to stop using the physical card entirely if possible. Most major grocery stores let you add your EBT card to mobile pay apps now, which is much safer than swiping the physical card.

I've been trying to reach my county worker about this exact issue for weeks but can't get through! I've called the main line at least 10 times, always get stuck on hold for 1-2 hours and then either disconnected or told to call back. How is anyone actually getting help with their EBT security concerns when you can't even reach a person? I finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) last week based on someone's recommendation here, and they got me connected to a real person in under 15 minutes. They have this service that calls and waits on hold for you, then calls your phone when they reach a live person. There's a quick video that explains it: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 The worker I finally spoke with walked me through all the security measures including adding an authorized user card as mentioned above. Worth it to finally get someone on the phone!

my aunt got her bennefits stolen last month and she changes her pin every week! so it don't matter really. the county didn't do nothing to help her and now her kids dont have food this month. the whole system is garbage

One thing nobody has mentioned yet - check if your county offers EBT benefit text alerts. Los Angeles County started offering text notifications whenever your EBT card is used. You get a text showing the amount and location within seconds of any transaction. This won't prevent theft, but you'll know IMMEDIATELY if unauthorized charges happen and can report it right away to stay within that 10-day window for replacement claims. Call your county or check their website to see if this feature is available in your area. It's saved me twice already.

im still confused about the different between calfresh and calworks. do we need to protect both the same way?? my worker keeps saying i need to do recertification for my calfresh but i thought i was on calworks??? are they the same thing???

Thanks everyone for all these helpful tips! I've made a protection plan based on your advice: 1. I'll change my PIN the night before deposit day each month 2. I called the county today (finally got through!) and requested an authorized user card for my mom 3. I'll transfer most benefits to her card when they deposit 4. I enrolled in text alerts for all transactions 5. I requested a completely new card with new number to start fresh 6. I saved the theft claim form information just in case I feel so much better knowing I have options if something happens. This community is amazing! ❤️