Multiple P-EBT cards for same child - CalFresh Summer EBT mixup?
I'm confused about these Summer EBT cards that just arrived for my kids. Both my daughters (8 and 11) each received TWO separate cards with their names on them. Each card seems to have the full $120 benefit amount for summer 2025. Has anyone else experienced this? I'm hesitant to use both cards for each child since it seems like a mistake, but I also don't want to throw away benefits they're entitled to. Should I call the county office about this or is this actually how the program works now? I don't want to get hit with an overpayment issue later.
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Millie Long
same thing happened to me! my son got 2 cards too, both with money on them. i just used both cuz hey free food right? lol
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Santiago Diaz
•Did you check if both cards have the same account number? I'm worried this is some kind of system error and they'll want the money back later.
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KaiEsmeralda
This sounds like you received P-EBT Summer EBT cards, not regular CalFresh benefits. The P-EBT program is separate from CalFresh and is specifically for school-age children. For Summer 2025, eligible children should receive ONE card with $120 per child for summer food benefits. Getting duplicate cards is definitely a system error. I recommend calling the P-EBT hotline at 877-328-9677 to report this issue. They can tell you which card to use and what to do with the duplicate. Keep track of any spending on both cards in case there's an overpayment situation later. Don't throw away either card until you get official guidance.
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Santiago Diaz
•Thank you! I didn't realize these were completely separate from CalFresh. I'll call that number tomorrow - hopefully it won't be too hard to get through.
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Debra Bai
•The P-EBT hotline can be INCREDIBLY hard to reach. After trying for weeks, I used Claimyr (claimyr.com) and got through in about 20 minutes. They have a service that holds your place in line and calls you back when a real person is available. Saved me hours of frustration! They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8
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Gabriel Freeman
DONT CALL!!! just use the cards before they figure it out. its free money for ur kids. the system messed up not you
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KaiEsmeralda
•This is terrible advice. Using benefits you know are issued in error can be considered fraud. The system tracks all EBT transactions, and the state can and does pursue overpayment claims, sometimes years later. Being transparent about the error protects the family from future repayment demands.
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Laura Lopez
•I did exactly this last year with duplicate cards and ended up with a $240 overpayment notice six months later. Had to repay every penny. Definitely call and report it.
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Victoria Brown
The duplicate cards issue happens because sometimes the system processes the same eligible child twice, especially if they're enrolled in multiple benefit programs or changed schools during the year. I work with the school nutrition program and we've seen this happen before. The correct procedure is to call the P-EBT hotline and report the duplicate issuance. They'll tell you which card to keep active and will deactivate the other. If you spend from both cards, it will eventually be detected in their reconciliation process, and you'll receive an overpayment notice requiring repayment of the duplicate benefits.
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Santiago Diaz
•This makes sense - my older daughter did change schools mid-year. I'll definitely call to report it.
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Samuel Robinson
im confused arent these the regular calfresh ebt cards? i get benefits for my kids on one card not seperate ones for each kid??
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Victoria Brown
•These are P-EBT (Pandemic EBT) cards, which was renamed to Summer EBT for 2025. They're completely separate from regular CalFresh benefits. While CalFresh puts all household benefits on one card, Summer EBT issues individual cards in each child's name. It's a federal program administered differently than regular CalFresh.
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Samuel Robinson
•ohh ok thx for explaining! i was super confused
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Millie Long
just curious did both ur cards come in the same envelope or separate ones? my kids got theirs in different envelopes but on same day
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Santiago Diaz
•They came in separate envelopes about 3 days apart. Each envelope had the normal card plus what seems like a duplicate. Very strange.
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Liam Fitzgerald
I had this exact same issue last month! My 7-year-old got two Summer EBT cards with $120 each. I called the P-EBT hotline (it took forever to get through) and they confirmed it was a system error. They deactivated one card and told me to destroy it. The rep said this happens when kids are in the system multiple times due to school changes or data entry errors. Definitely call - they were really helpful once I got through, and now I don't have to worry about getting hit with an overpayment later.
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ElectricDreamer
•Thanks for sharing your experience! It's reassuring to hear that the hotline was helpful once you got through. How long did it take you to reach someone? I'm planning to call tomorrow but want to set aside enough time.
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Gabriel Graham
•It took me about 2.5 hours of calling repeatedly before I got through - I had to redial probably 50+ times. The system kept saying "all circuits are busy" and hanging up. I finally got through around 2 PM on a Wednesday. Once I was in the queue, it was another 45 minutes on hold, but the representative was very knowledgeable and resolved everything quickly. Definitely set aside a whole morning or afternoon if you can!
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