Lost my EBT card twice in one month - Will CalFresh penalize me for requesting another replacement?
I'm seriously freaking out right now. I had to get a replacement EBT card last Thursday because my old one was damaged, but then this weekend I think I dropped the new one in a parking lot while juggling groceries and my kids. I've looked EVERYWHERE and it's just gone. I'm wondering if I should go to the county office in person again to request another replacement or just call? I'm really worried they'll think I'm being careless or doing something fraudulent since it's been less than a week since my last replacement. Will they give me trouble about this? How long will I have to wait for a new card to arrive? My family needs to eat and I'm down to like $30 cash until next payday...
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Zara Mirza
Don't panic! This happens more often than you'd think. Call the EBT Customer Service number on the back of your old card (or google "California EBT customer service") at 1-877-328-9677. They can cancel your lost card and issue a new one immediately over the phone. The replacement should arrive within 5-7 business days. They won't penalize you for losing it twice - there's no limit on replacement cards in California. Though if it becomes a pattern (like 4+ times a year), they might eventually investigate. But twice in a short period? Totally fine.
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Sean Kelly
AuthorThanks for this info! I don't have my old card anymore so I'll google the number. Is there ANY way to get emergency food access before the new card comes? My kids are going to be so hungry and I'm really worried...
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Luca Russo
omg dont go in person, total waste of time!! they just gonna tell u to call anyway. i lost mine like 3 times last year lol. just call and they mail u a new 1. takes like 4-5 days usually
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Sean Kelly
AuthorPhew, that's a relief to hear someone else has been through this too! Did they ever give you any trouble or ask why you kept losing them?
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Nia Harris
Going to the physical county office won't get you a card any faster. They don't print EBT cards on site - they can only request one for you, which is the same as calling the EBT customer service line. The standard delivery time is 3-5 business days from when you report it lost. Make sure you call to report it lost ASAP so they can deactivate the old card. This protects your benefits if someone finds your card. When you call, make sure to verify your current mailing address is correct to avoid further delays.
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Sean Kelly
AuthorOh I didn't even think about someone else finding and using it! Calling right now!! Really hope it comes soon because we're going to be struggling until then.
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GalaxyGazer
When I lost mine, I called right away and blocked the card, but still couldn't get through to a person to request the replacement. Just got stuck in that automated system hell for 45 minutes before it hung up on me! So frustrating!!
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Mateo Sanchez
I had the same issue with the EBT phone system last month! I finally used this service called Claimyr that got me through to a real person in like 10 minutes. Saved me hours of frustration! You can see how it works at claimyr.com or check out their video demo at https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8. It was seriously a game changer when I was panicking about my benefits.
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Aisha Mahmood
I lost mine twice in two weeks last year lol. First time I thought it was stolen so I cancelled it, then I found it but it was already cancelled, then lost the replacement for real. They don't care honestly. Just another day for them.
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Sean Kelly
AuthorThat makes me feel better! Did you have any way to get food while waiting for the new card? I'm seriously stressing about feeding my kids for the next week.
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Nia Harris
To address your concern about feeding your family while waiting for the new card - you have a few options: 1. If it's a true emergency, you can request an expedited in-person pickup at your county office. This is not standard practice, but some counties will accommodate true hardship cases. 2. Call 211 to find local food banks or pantries that can help with emergency food assistance. 3. Check if your local school district offers free meals that your children can access. 4. If you have documentation of your CalFresh approval, some farmers markets will allow you to shop on credit until your new card arrives.
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Sean Kelly
AuthorTHANK YOU! I'm going to try calling the county office to see if they can do the expedited pickup. If not, I'll definitely check out the food banks. Really appreciate this info!
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Ethan Moore
The EBT system is DESIGNED to be difficult! They make the cards flimsy on purpose so they break easily and then make you wait for replacements hoping you'll just give up. I've had SIX cards in two years and every time it's the same runaround. The whole system is broken and nobody cares about helping people actually get food. It's all about making it as difficult as possible so they can say fewer people need benefits!
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Zara Mirza
While I understand your frustration, I don't think the cards are intentionally made flimsy. The EBT cards use the same materials as standard debit/credit cards. The replacement process could definitely be improved though - other states have implemented same-day emergency card pickup options that California could adopt.
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Luca Russo
btw make sure u report it lost asap cuz if someone finds it they can use all ur benefits!!! happened to my cousin and they spent like $400 of her food money in one day at some random store before she could cancel it
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Sean Kelly
AuthorOMG that's terrifying! I just called and reported it lost. They said the benefits are now protected. Thanks for the warning!
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GalaxyGazer
I'm confused about something - isn't CalFresh just the program name? I thought the actual card was called an EBT card? When I went to my CalFresh appointment they gave me a Golden State Advantage card. Are we all talking about the same thing?
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Zara Mirza
You're right! This can be confusing. CalFresh is California's name for the SNAP (food stamp) program. The benefits are delivered on an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card, which in California is called the Golden State Advantage card. So the program is CalFresh, but the card is an EBT/Golden State Advantage card. They're related but not exactly the same thing.
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Sean Kelly
UPDATE: I called the EBT customer service number and they were actually really nice! They didn't give me any trouble about losing the card twice. They deactivated my lost card and are sending a new one that should arrive by next Tuesday. I also called 211 and found a food pantry nearby that can help us get through until then. Thanks everyone for calming me down and helping! This community is amazing ❤️
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Aisha Mahmood
So glad it worked out! Food pantries saved me when I was waiting for my replacement card too. And pro tip: take a picture of your card front and back (cover the CVV) so you always have the number to call if you lose it again!
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Malik Jackson
That's such great news! I'm so relieved everything worked out for you. The food pantry is a really smart solution for the gap period. I've been in similar situations and know how stressful it can be when you're worried about feeding your family. It's awesome that the EBT customer service was understanding - sometimes we build up these worst-case scenarios in our heads that don't actually happen. Thanks for updating us on how it went! Posts like yours really help other people who might be going through the same thing.
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