SCAM ALERT: County worker warned benefits getting stolen through unofficial 'Providers App' - REMOVE YOUR CARD INFO NOW!

OMG I had no idea! I've been using that app for like 3 months because someone at the food bank told me it was easier than the county website. Just deleted it and changed my PIN. Thank you for sharing this!!! I only had $67 left on my card this month but I would've been devastated if it disappeared.

You're welcome! Definitely change your PIN asap. The worker said even if you delete the app, they could still have your card info stored in their system. My sister lost $345 last month and the county said they're seeing dozens of these cases every week.

Wait is this the app with the blue icon or the green one? I use something called EBT Connect (i think) but I'm not sure if thats the providers app or the official one?? Now I'm freaking out because I just got my benefits loaded yesterday and I CANNOT afford to lose them this month.

The official California EBT app has a blue icon with

THANK U!! Just checked and mine is from some company called

This is unfortunately a growing problem. I work with a nutrition assistance program, and we've seen many clients lose their entire month's benefits to scams like this. Remember that official CalFresh/EBT apps will NEVER ask for your full card number AND PIN together - they typically verify your identity through BenefitsCal login or just the card number alone for balance checking. \n\nOther warning signs of fake apps:\n- They promise faster deposit of benefits\n- They offer cash back or rewards for using them\n- They ask for your SSN or ID documents\n- They're not listed on the official county resource pages

this is so messed up. my neighbor had her benefits stolen last month and the county basically told her there was nothing they could do... she has 3 kids and had to use the food bank for 2 weeks. these scammers should go to jail

I dont think this is right. I use the providers app and never had a problem. Maybe ur thinking of a different app? My benefits worker actually told me about this app a year ago.

There are multiple apps with similar names. The county ONLY endorses BenefitsCal and the official CalFresh Mobile app (sometimes just called CA EBT). Any other app asking for your full card details is potentially a security risk. County workers should never be recommending third-party apps for accessing benefits - that's against policy. I'd check with your county office directly to confirm what they officially support.

hmm maybe ur right. i just checked and mine isn't made by the state or county. gonna delete it to be safe i guess. better safe than sorry.

this happened to my cousin too!!! she lost $700 in benefits and had to wait WEEKS to get it sorted out. the county made her fill out all these forms and do a police report and everything. she had to borrow money just to feed her kids. these scammers are the worst kind of people targeting families who already struggling

That's horrible! Did she ever get her benefits back? I'm so nervous now that I've been using this app for months...

For anyone affected by benefit theft, here are the official steps you should take immediately:\n\n1. Report the theft to EBT Customer Service: 1-877-328-9677\n2. Change your PIN immediately\n3. File a report with your local county CalFresh office (this is REQUIRED for any theft claim)\n4. Complete the \

This is exactly what my sister had to do! She got her benefits back but it took almost 3 weeks. The worker told me today they're completely overwhelmed with these theft reports right now.

Has anyone tried using Claimyr to reach the county about this issue? I tried calling the EBT customer service number above but couldn't get through to a real person after 45 minutes on hold. A friend recommended claimyr.com to get through the phone system faster - apparently they wait on hold for you and call when a real person is on the line. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 showing how it works. Might be worth it in this situation since it seems urgent to report if your benefits were stolen.

i used that service last month when my recertification was delayed! it actually worked pretty good. saved me like 2 hours of hold time and i got to talk to someone who fixed my case. definitely worth it for emergency situations like benefit theft

I want to clarify something important: If your benefits were stolen, the county CAN replace them under certain conditions. Federal law changed in 2023 to allow states to reimburse stolen EBT benefits, and California implemented this in late 2024. You must report within 30 days, complete all required forms, and have documentation. The county worker is correct that the unofficial apps are dangerous, but please don't give up if you've had benefits stolen - persistence with your county office can result in reimbursement under the new rules.

This is good to know!! My friend was told they couldn't do anything when her benefits were stolen in October. Maybe the rules changed after that?

ok so i just got off the phone with ebt customer service and they confirmed this is real! i had to wait on hold for 55 minutes just to talk to someone. they said there are multiple fake apps out there right now and they're working with the fraud department to shut them down. stay safe everyone!!

Thank you for confirming! The county worker I spoke with seemed really worried about how many people are falling for these scam apps. She said they target people through Facebook groups and even sometimes through texts claiming to be from CalFresh.