EBT theft replacement taking forever - way past 10 days, getting different answers from CalFresh workers

omg this same thing happened to me in january!! took them almost 3 WEEKS to replace my stolen benefits. the system is so broken. they keep saying "10 days" but it's never actually 10 days

U need to talk to a supervisor!!! Workers will just keep giving u the runaround. Call first thing morning when they open (like 8am exactly) and DEMAND a supervisor. Don't take no for answer. They can expedite theft claims if u make enough noise trust me

I'm sorry you're dealing with this. The formal EBT theft replacement process can unfortunately take longer than the 10 days they initially tell you. Here's what you should know: 1. The EBT-2259 form you filled out is correct, but it often gets backlogged, especially if your county has had a lot of theft reports lately. 2. By regulation, they have up to 30 days to process EBT theft claims, though they try to do it faster. 3. To expedite the process: - Ask specifically for an "expedited processing request" due to hardship - Request to speak with an EBT theft claims specialist, not just any worker - Document every call (date, time, worker ID number if possible) - If it's been more than 15 business days, you can request a State Hearing Hope this helps!

Yes, you can request emergency food assistance while waiting. Here are some options: 1. Ask your county worker about Emergency Expedited Services - if you have less than $150 in monthly income and less than $100 in resources, you might qualify 2. Request a hardship review of your theft claim 3. Look into local food banks - your county office should be able to provide a list And to answer your earlier question about escalating to a supervisor - yes, it can help, but be specific about what you're asking for. Say "I need my EBT theft claim expedited due to financial hardship" rather than just asking to speak to a supervisor.

I had this EXACT same problem last month! Called every day for two weeks and got nowhere. Then I discovered this service called Claimyr that got me through to an actual CalFresh worker in less than 5 minutes. You can check it out at claimyr.com - they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 Once I got through to an actual person, I explained my situation was urgent and they found my theft form and processed it within 2 days. Sometimes you just need to get past the phone system to the right person!

i don't think supervisors help tbh. my cousin works for the county (not calfresh tho) and she says they're all backed up everywhere right now. they had some computer system update that messed everything up or something. have you tried applying for emergency calfresh? thats different than the theft replacement

This is why I always withdraw my benefits AS SOON as they hit my account now!!! Too many thefts happening. They're supposed to prioritize households with children for theft replacements but I bet they're not even checking that part of your form. When I had benefits stolen in December I had to specifically point out to them that I had kids in the household and that seemed to speed things up. Got my replacement in about 12 days instead of the full 30. Still annoying though.

I'm sorry to hear about your situation. I work with CalFresh cases (not for the county directly), and unfortunately, theft replacements are taking longer than the stated 10 days in almost every county right now. There's been a huge increase in EBT theft cases in 2025, and most county offices are severely backlogged. A few important points: 1. The 10-day timeframe is a goal, not a requirement. Legally they have up to 30 days. 2. Different workers may see different status updates in the system. 3. The most effective approach is to request an "urgent review based on household hardship with minor children." If you continue to have issues, you can file for a State Hearing, but that usually takes 30+ days itself. The Emergency Expedited Services that others mentioned is a good temporary solution.

ANOTHER THING - make sure ur calling the right number for EBT theft!! When my benefits got stolen I kept calling the regular EBT customer service (the number on the back of the card) but they cant do ANYTHING about theft claims. You have to call your actual county CalFresh office. Sounds obvious but a lot of people don't know this!!!

anyone else notice how thefts always happen right after benefits get loaded?? my friend thinks the scammers somehow know exactly when benefits drop 🤔

UPDATE: I called this morning right when they opened and asked for a theft claims specialist (as suggested here). I specifically mentioned I needed an "urgent review based on household hardship with minor children" and got transferred to someone who actually seemed to know what they were talking about! She found my EBT-2259 form in the system, said it hadn't been processed yet, but that she would expedite it due to having children in the household. She said I should see the replacement benefits within 3 business days! I also applied for Emergency Expedited Services as a backup. Will update again when/if I get my benefits replaced. Thank you all for the advice!!!

That's amazing news! So glad you were able to get through to someone who actually knew what they were doing. The specific language really does make a difference - "urgent review based on household hardship with minor children" is way better than just saying it's an emergency. Fingers crossed you get your benefits back within those 3 days! And smart move applying for Emergency Expedited Services as backup too. Thanks for updating us - this thread is going to help so many people dealing with the same issue.