EBT website keeps locking me out after freezing my card for security - 4 hour hold time to fix it!

I had this exact problem back in January! The EBT Edge site is notoriously buggy, especially after their "security updates." The fingerprint login almost never works correctly, and it sometimes locks you out if you try too many times. To fix it without the 4-hour hold: 1. Try logging in through the BenefitsCal website instead (sometimes works better than Edge) 2. Use the "forgot password" option on a fresh browser (sometimes the cookies from previous login attempts cause issues) 3. If that fails, call early in the morning right when they open (usually 8am) - hold times are typically 30 minutes instead of 4 hours And yes, the freezing feature is great for security but terrible if you get locked out. I've started just leaving my card open but only loading what I need for the week from my EBT account to the card.

omg this happens to me ALL THE TIME with ebt edge!! so frustrating! i dont even bother freezing my card anymore cuz its such a hassle to unfreeze. my cousin had her benefits stolen last month tho so maybe i should start again idk

This is a widespread issue with the EBT Edge portal since their system upgrade in February 2025. The fingerprint authentication conflicts with their new security protocols, especially if you're accessing from different devices. A few important things to know: 1. When locked out, you need a specific type of account reset that regular customer service sometimes can't do - you need to speak with a CalFresh EBT specialist 2. Contrary to what many believe, freezing/unfreezing can be done through the automated phone system (1-877-328-9677) without logging into the website - just have your card number and PIN ready 3. If you're completely locked out, visiting a county office in person is sometimes faster than phone resolution 4. Document each call attempt with date/time for reference if you need to file a formal complaint The system is frustrating but once reset properly, it should work again until their next update inevitably breaks something.

The EBT system is DESIGNED to be difficult to use. They want people to give up on accessing their own benefits. I've been dealing with CalFresh for 3 years, and every "upgrade" makes things worse. The county workers are useless too - half of them don't even know how their own systems work! My card got locked similarly after I reported it stolen, and it took THREE SEPARATE CALLS and two weeks before I could access my benefits again. They kept telling me different things each time! First they said 24 hours, then 3-5 business days, then I needed to come in person with two forms of ID!!! Don't expect this to get fixed easily. The whole system is BROKEN BY DESIGN.

I had the same problem last month and spent 2 days trying to get through on the phone. Finally used Claimyr.com to connect with a real person at the CalFresh office in about 10 minutes. They have this service where they wait on hold for you and call when a real person picks up. Saved me from wasting another day on hold. Here's a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 The EBT specialist I reached was able to do an immediate account reset and walked me through unfreezing my card over the phone. Apparently the website issues are affecting tons of people right now.

Have u tried the ebt edge app instead of the website?? sometimes it works better for me but other times its just as glitchy lol

So after dealing with this EBT Edge nightmare myself, here are the steps that ACTUALLY worked for me: 1. Do NOT use the regular CalFresh customer service line. Instead, call the dedicated EBT card customer service: 1-877-328-9677 2. When prompted by the automated system, enter your card number and PIN 3. Keep pressing 0 (ignore the menu options) until it offers to connect you with a customer service rep 4. Specifically request an "EBT Edge account reset and unfreeze" - using these exact words helped me get the right assistance 5. They can unfreeze your card while on the phone AND reset your online access The wait time was only about 30 minutes on the EBT customer service line versus the ridiculous wait times on the regular CalFresh line. Hope this helps!

i got locked out 2 and couldn't buy food for like 3 days it was awfull. try clearing ur cookies and cache on ur browser sometimes that helps with the login problems

Quick update on this situation - the EBT Edge website has been experiencing major issues since their March update. According to an announcement buried in the BenefitsCal portal (not even on the EBT website!), they're aware of the account lockout problems affecting both the website and mobile app. They recommend calling the EBT Customer Service line directly for account resets rather than going through your county CalFresh office. This is because the county workers often don't have direct access to the EBT card system - it's managed by a separate contractor. I hope this helps others dealing with the same frustration!