Getting CalFresh benefits stolen - how do people get reimbursed so quickly?

I got my stolen benefits back in 3 days last month! I think what made the difference is I filed a police report online immediately AND called the EBT customer service line (not just the county office). The customer service rep flagged my case as urgent because I had children in the household and documented everything. Make sure when you call the EBT line you specifically mention if you have kids or elderly people in your household who depend on those benefits - they seem to prioritize those cases. Also ask them to note in the system that you already went to the county office and submitted the 2259.

omg same thing happened to me in february!!! i didnt get mine back for 2 weeks even tho i filled out all the forms... so frustrating! i think it depends on which county ur in tbh. i kept calling everyday and finally got thru to someone who actually helped.

THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO MAKE YOU WAIT!!! I'm so sorry this happened to you but trust me when I say they will drag their feet unless you stay on top of them!!! When my benefits got stolen ($840) I called EVERY SINGLE DAY and even then it took 7 days to get it back. The form they give you is just the first step - they NEVER tell you that you need to keep following up!!! They make us jump through hoops while our families go hungry. It's CRIMINAL!!!

The timing really depends on your county and their current workload. I'm a CalFresh eligibility worker (not in your county though), and here's what affects processing time: 1. Whether you submitted a complete EBT 2259 form with all details of the theft 2. Whether you reported it within 10 days of the theft (which you did) 3. If you can provide any evidence like transaction receipts showing unauthorized purchases 4. Your county's current backlog of cases The standard is legally up to 10 business days, but many counties process them faster. Call your local office and ask to speak directly with the EBT coordinator for your case. Mention you have children and limited food resources until this is resolved.

I had $550 stolen in January and spent hours trying to get through to anyone at the county who could help. I finally discovered Claimyr.com which got me through to a live CalFresh worker in about 10 minutes when I'd been trying for days. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8. Once I got to speak with an actual EBT theft specialist (which is different from regular eligibility workers), they expedited my case and I had the money back in 2 days. Most county phone systems are impossible, but this actually worked for me.

when my bf had his calfresh stolen we got it back like next day but we think its cuz we went to the actual office in person and talked to a supervisor not just regular worker. the lady made a bunch of calls right in front of us and told us she was marking it urgent. maybe try going back and asking for supervisor?? also different counties probably handle things differently

Another thing to consider - the reimbursement timing also depends on when your theft occurred relative to federal reporting periods. If the theft happened near the end of the month like yours did, the county might process it faster because they're trying to close their monthly reports. Also, did you check if the unauthorized transactions were from online purchases? Those are being prioritized right now because of the huge increase in online EBT fraud. Make sure to mention to the worker exactly how you think the theft occurred - skimming device, online purchase, or card theft. Different types of theft are handled by different departments with different processing times.

my cousin works for calfresh and she says they always say 10 days but it's usually faster, they just say that to cover themselves in case there's a delay. most ppl get it back in 3-5 days if they filled out the form right

I hope you get your benefits back quickly! My card was skimmed at a grocery store last year and it was so stressful. I ended up having to go to a food bank while waiting for the replacement. If you need emergency food, call 211 - they can connect you with resources while you wait for the reimbursement.

UPDATE: I called the EBT customer service line this morning and explained my situation. They transferred me to a theft specialist who said they could expedite my case since I have children in the household. She said I should see the funds back in my account within 3-5 business days instead of 10! I also went ahead and filed a police report online just to have it documented. Thank you all for your helpful advice - I'll update again when I get my benefits back!