Need San Joaquin County phone number to follow up on CalFresh EBT theft claim - anyone had success?

I had the EXACT same problem last year!! Thieves took $1,100 from my EBT card and San Joaquin was so hard to reach it drove me CRAZY. The main number (209-468-1000) is useless - just transfers you in circles until you get disconnected. Try calling 209-468-1177 which is supposed to be the direct line for benefit questions, but GOOD LUCK getting a human... I literally waited 3.5 hours one day before giving up. the system is BROKEN!!!

Call (209) 468-1000 and when the automated system asks what you're calling about, say "EBT theft claim status" clearly. For San Joaquin County specifically, you need to follow up with their EBT specialist unit which handles theft claims. The key is calling early - try at 8:05am right after they open. Make sure you have your case number from the EBT-2259 form handy, along with the date you submitted it and the police report number. Ask them specifically whether they've received the claim from the state office and what stage of processing it's in. The county has 10 business days to review theft claims once they receive them from the state, but the transfer between systems can take 5-7 business days itself.

I went through this exact nightmare last month. After trying for DAYS to reach someone at San Joaquin County about my theft claim, I finally used this service called Claimyr and it worked amazingly well. You go to claimyr.com and they basically call on your behalf and when a real person answers, they connect you. Saved me hours of waiting on hold and being hung up on. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 Once I finally got through to a person, I found out my claim was actually sitting in their system but marked as "missing documentation" even though I'd submitted everything! Got it sorted in one call after that.

To answer your questions - once Claimyr connected me, I was talking to an actual caseworker within like 30 seconds. And yes, I did get my benefits back! It took about 4 weeks total from when I first reported the theft, but the key was getting to a real person who could check my claim status. Found out they needed my ID verification again even though I'd already sent it. Once I resent that, the money was back on my card 5 days later.

Actually theft claims are processed diffrent then regular benifits in CA. The local county dosent handle it directly - when u submit the EBT-2259 form it goes to state level first and then back down to county for final aproval. Thats why its taking so long. In San Joaquin, i learned u have to specifically ask for the "EBT Replacement Specialist" not just any worker. Also they dont tell u but u need these things ready: - case number - date of theft - exact amount stolen - police report # (which u have) - last 4 digits of the EBT card that was compromised Calling vs going in person makes a huge difference too. In person at the 1st floor of the Human Services building on Yokuts sometimes works better then calling.

Y do they make it so hard? same happnd to me last year. they make us jump thru all thses hoops like were the criminals! i nevrr got my money back cuz i missed some deadline. smh

For anyone dealing with CalFresh EBT theft in San Joaquin County, here's the most current information (as of April 2025): 1. Report the theft to EBT Customer Service (1-877-328-9677) immediately 2. Submit the EBT-2259 form through BenefitsCal portal or in person 3. File a police report 4. Wait 5 business days for initial processing 5. Contact San Joaquin County at (209) 468-1000 to confirm receipt The process takes 30-45 days total for reimbursement. Per the state regulations (MPP Section 16-705), they must make a determination within 10 business days of receiving a complete theft claim. The key is confirming they have ALL required documentation. Most important: document EVERY call with date, time, and who you spoke with. This creates a paper trail if you need to escalate.

my frend who works at the county says they r super backed up with theft claims cuz theres been tons of skimming lately. she said if u want them to rush it u gotta tell them its a hardship case and ur out of food completely, then they might expedite it

I just remembered something!!! When you call make sure you choose option 2 then 1 then 4 in their stupid phone tree. That's the fastest way to get to someone who handles EBT issues. At least it was back in January when I was dealing with my theft claim. The whole system is RIDICULOUS!!! Why don't they just have a direct line for theft claims when so many people are getting their benefits stolen???!!

One thing no one's mentioned yet is that if your claim has been pending more than 30 days, you can request an expedited review. My neighbor had success by specifically saying "I'm requesting an expedited review under MPP regulation 16-705.32" which requires them to make a determination within 3 business days. You have to be persistent though.