P-EBT card customer service number not working - just goes silent after automated message starts

omg same thing happened to me last week!!! I thought it was just my crappy phone service but maybe its their system???

The P-EBT phone system has been having intermittent issues since they rolled out the 2025 school year benefits. A few things to try: 1. Call very early morning (before 7am) or late evening (after 8pm) when the system has less traffic 2. Instead of calling the number, try checking your balance online through the EBT Edge mobile app or BenefitsCal website if you've linked your card 3. If you have access to a grocery store with self-checkout that accepts EBT, you can often check your balance at the terminal without making a purchase Also worth noting that the system doesn't always update immediately when benefits are loaded. Sometimes it takes 24-48 hours for the automated system to reflect new benefits even if they're actually on your card.

I HAD THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM for like 3 weeks straight!! I kept trying different phones thinking it was my reception. Turns out they're having major technical problems with their phone system. I was about to lose my mind trying to get through. I finally got help using Claimyr (claimyr.com) - it's this service that basically gets through the phone systems for you and connects you with an actual human. I was super skeptical but they have this video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 Took like 10 minutes instead of the HOURS I was wasting trying to get through. The lady I spoke with said their phone system is glitching and they're aware of it but no ETA on when it'll be fixed. Of course! 🙄

The P-EBT and regular EBT systems are separate, which is why the county office told you they couldn't help. Here's what's happening: California's P-EBT phone service provider is upgrading their systems this month, and many people are experiencing exactly what you described. Quick solution: You can try texting "BALANCE" to 42265 from your registered phone number to check your P-EBT balance. It's a lesser-known feature but works most of the time. Alternately, if you know which store you'll be using the card at, call that store directly and ask if they can do a balance inquiry at their register without processing a transaction. Most larger grocery chains can do this.

This happens all the time with these government programs smh...they expect us to jump through hoops just to use benefits our kids are entitled to! my sister had the same thing happen with her p-ebt card and ended up having to drive to 3 different stores just to check the balance at a register. meanwhile her kid wasn't eating proper lunch for a week! the whole system is broken tbh.

Just a heads up - the text feature only works if your phone number is linked to your P-EBT account. If you never registered your phone or if you changed numbers, it won't work. For PIN resets: If your daughter changed the PIN, you'll unfortunately need to either get through on the phone or request a new card entirely. One workaround is having your daughter try common PINs she might have used (birthdate, last 4 digits of her student ID, etc.). Also, if you can't get through to P-EBT customer service, sometimes the regular CalFresh EBT customer service can provide some limited assistance with P-EBT cards or at least let you know if there's a widespread system issue.

does anyone know if this affects regular calfresh ebt too or just the p-ebt cards? i have both and now im worried

Sometimes if you hit 0 a bunch of times during the automated message it will force you to a representative. Thats what I do with most of these stupid automated systems lol