Has anyone gotten the new chip-enabled EBT cards for CalFresh yet?

I got mine last week! The new chip card looks pretty much the same except it has that little gold square on the front. You'll get instructions with it, but basically you have to call and activate it just like a regular bank card. Your old card will work until you activate the new one. Your benefits won't change - same amount, same dates. The chip is just supposed to make it harder for people to steal your info.

I got mine 2 weeks ago and activated it right away. Worked fine at Walmart and FoodMaxx so far. No prblems with benefit amount.

I'm curious about this too! Haven't gotten a letter yet but I think it's a good idea. My cousin had her EBT card skimmed at some point last year and lost almost all her benefits before she realized. Took her forever to get it fixed. So I'm hoping the chip makes that kind of theft harder.

got the letter but no card yet. does anyone know if we can still use the old one until the new arrives? my recertification is next month and i dont wanna mess anything up

DONT ACTIVATE THE NEW CARD UNTIL YOU'VE SPENT ALL THE MONEY ON YOUR OLD ONE!!! My sister got the new card and activated it right away and they DIDNT transfer her remaining balance. She had to call and wait FOREVER and they said it would take 5-7 business days to fix it. She has 3 kids and couldn't buy groceries!!

I've had mine for about a month now. The transition was really smooth - just call the number on the card to activate it. One tip: you might need to enter your zip code as part of the verification process, so have that ready. Otherwise it's exactly the same as the old card - same PIN, same balance, same monthly deposit date. One thing though - if you use your EBT card for CalFresh at farmers markets for the Market Match program, make sure to tell them you have the new card. I had a small issue with that the first time but it was easily fixed.

The new chip-enabled EBT cards are part of a federal security upgrade mandate that all states must implement by June 2025. The chip technology significantly reduces fraud through card skimming and cloning, which has been a major issue affecting CalFresh recipients. Your benefits are tied to your account, not the physical card, so the transition should be seamless. When you receive your new card: 1. Call the number on the card to activate 2. Set up the same PIN you used before (or create a new one) 3. Your old card will automatically deactivate Your benefit amount and schedule remain exactly the same. The only change is the added security feature.

Has anyone had trouble reaching their county worker to ask questions about this? I've been calling for days about this and other issues with my case, but I keep getting stuck in this automated phone tree that eventually disconnects me. Really frustrated because I have questions about my SAR7 too.

Update: I just got my new card today! Came in a plain white envelope that I almost threw away thinking it was junk mail so be careful! Gonna activate it tonight.

Just wanted to share my experience - I got my new chip card about 3 weeks ago and the whole process was super easy! The activation took maybe 2 minutes on the phone, and like others mentioned, you just need your zip code and to set up your PIN (I kept the same one). The chip does feel different at first - you have to insert and wait instead of swiping, but honestly it's become second nature now. I've used it at Safeway, Target, and a few smaller stores with no issues. My benefits transferred over perfectly and my monthly deposit happened right on schedule. One thing that surprised me was how much faster the transaction actually processes with the chip compared to the old magnetic strip. Overall really happy with the upgrade and feel more secure knowing my card info is better protected!

I received my new chip card two weeks ago and activated it without any issues! The process was straightforward - just called the number on the card, entered my zip code, and set up my PIN. My balance transferred automatically and I've been using it at grocery stores ever since. One helpful tip: when you first use the chip, make sure to leave the card in the reader until it tells you to remove it. I pulled it out too early at first and had to retry the transaction. Also, some older card readers at smaller stores might still require you to swipe, so don't panic if the chip doesn't work everywhere immediately. @Olivia Evans hope your activation goes smoothly! The security upgrade is definitely worth it - I feel much more confident using my card knowing it's harder for scammers to steal my info.