Received duplicate P-EBT cards for my son - Is using both considered fraud?

omg same thing happened to my niece!!! they got 2 cards too but they just kept both 🤷‍♀️

DO NOT USE BOTH CARDS! This happened during the last P-EBT distribution too. The system is completely broken and they WILL catch up eventually. My sister used both cards last year thinking it was fine and got hit with an overpayment notice 6 months later requiring repayment of all "duplicate benefits" plus they temporarily suspended her regular CalFresh too as a penalty!!! The second card is 100% an error - different benefit amount is a clue.

This is actually more common than you'd think with the P-EBT program. According to the official guidelines for 2025, children may receive separate P-EBT benefits for different eligibility periods or programs (summer vs. school year, for example). Check if the cards have different PAN numbers - if so, they might actually BOTH be legitimate. The different benefit amounts also suggest they might be for different periods. I would recommend calling your county office to verify before assuming it's a mistake. P-EBT is federally funded but administered through the state CalFresh system, and using legitimate benefits you're entitled to isn't fraud.

I work with a nonprofit that helps families navigate benefits, and we've seen this exact issue with P-EBT cards multiple times this year. Here's what I recommend: 1. DO call to report it (877-328-9677) but expect very long wait times 2. Document the call date, time, and any case number they give you 3. If you can't get through after multiple attempts, send a dated email to your county office with photos of both cards (block out most of the numbers) 4. Only use the first card until you get official clarification Most importantly - if you've been trying to call and can't get through to anyone, you might want to try Claimyr (claimyr.com). They'll wait on hold with the P-EBT line for you and call you back when a real person answers. I've had clients save hours of hold time with their service. Here's a video that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8

Its probably a mistake in there system but why you snitching on yourself??? Just use both cards lol its the governments fault not yours, they mess up peoples benefits all the time and dont care if your family goes hungry

I had something similar happen but with regular CalFresh, not P-EBT. I called my county office and waited on hold for almost TWO HOURS only to be told I needed to call a different department. It's so frustrating trying to do the right thing when their systems are so broken! I eventually got it sorted out but it took multiple calls and so much wasted time. I wish they would just fix their systems instead of putting the burden on us to report their mistakes. I'm a single mom working two jobs - I don't have hours to waste on hold!!!

After you report this, make sure to keep the confirmation number or case number they give you. In my experience working with benefit programs, if you can prove you reported the duplicate card promptly, they'll waive any potential penalties even if there's confusion later. Also, check if the two cards have different issue dates or different card numbers (not just the balance). Sometimes what appears to be a duplicate is actually a replacement card that was automatically issued, or supplemental benefits for a different period. The California P-EBT program for 2025 has multiple phases of distribution.

Update: I called the P-EBT hotline this morning using that Claimyr service someone recommended (thanks for that tip - saved me sitting on hold forever!). They confirmed it was definitely a system error and thanked me for reporting it. They said to destroy the second card and that they would note it in my file. The agent said a lot of families have been getting duplicates due to a system glitch when they transferred records from the old system. She also gave me a confirmation number to keep just in case there are any questions later. Thanks everyone for your help!

That's awesome that you got it resolved so quickly! Thanks for updating us - I was wondering how this would turn out. It's good to know the P-EBT office is aware of the system glitch and that they're actually thanking people for reporting it instead of making them feel bad about it. I'm definitely going to look into that Claimyr service too since I always seem to have issues getting through to government offices. Glad you did the right thing and got it sorted out properly!

I'm so glad you got this resolved and shared the update! This is really helpful info for others who might face the same situation. It's reassuring to know that the P-EBT office is aware of the system glitch and that they actually appreciate people reporting these duplicates instead of treating it like you did something wrong. The fact that they gave you a confirmation number shows they're taking it seriously too. Thanks for doing the right thing and letting us know how it turned out - posts like this really help the community!