Suspicious EBT theft pattern in California - Is someone targeting CalFresh cards?

Unfortunately this is happening a lot lately. I work at a community resource center in Fresno, and we've had at least 15 clients report similar thefts in the past few months. Most were in Central Valley, but we're hearing about cases all over CA. The pattern I've noticed is that thieves are somehow cloning EBT cards and making purchases in different cities than where the cardholder lives - likely to reduce chances of being caught on security cameras. Here's what I recommend: 1. Report the theft immediately to the CalFresh EBT Customer Service (877-328-9677) 2. File a specific theft report with your county CalFresh office 3. Request a replacement card with a NEW account number (not just a new card) 4. When you get your new card, change your PIN at an ATM or through the EBT phone system 5. Check your balance frequently - at least every 2-3 days California recently started piloting a program to reimburse stolen benefits more quickly in some counties. You should ask if your county is participating.

im in san diego n this happend to me 2!!! lost $345 last month from places in oakland?!?! never even been there. called ebt hotline they said fill out form but no garantee ill get $ back. how r they doing this??? i NEVER shop online just use at vons and food4less

Is everyone checking both sides of your cards? There's the normal food benefits AND there's the emergency cash aid if you qualified for that. Make sure you're checking both balances. I thought my food was stolen but it was my cash aid. Call the EBT number on the back and check both balances.

This happened to me in January 2025. I'm in LA County, and my benefits were used in San Francisco. What I found out is that thieves are using card skimmers at grocery stores and gas stations to steal EBT information. Then they create duplicate cards and empty accounts within hours. After 3 months of fighting with the county, I found that using Claimyr (claimyr.com) was the only way I could actually reach a live CalFresh worker who could help. They got me connected to the fraud department within 30 minutes instead of waiting on hold forever. The worker told me they're seeing hundreds of these cases monthly now. You can see how their service works here: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 The county fraud specialist told me they're finally implementing some security changes later in 2025, but until then we're basically on our own to protect our benefits. My caseworker said they're overwhelmed with fraud cases.

EVERYONE NEEDS TO CHECK THEIR CARDS FOR TINY SCRATCHES NEAR THE MAGNETIC STRIP!!!! My sister works at the welfare office and says this is how they can tell if your card was compromised. If there's tiny scratches near the strip, that means a skimmer probably damaged it slightly. Also, NEVER EVER give your PIN to ANYONE, not even county workers (they don't need it). And check for skimmers by pulling on the card reader before you put your card in. If the reader moves or feels loose, DON'T USE IT!!!

Lol this is definitely an inside job. How convenient that they can't seem to catch anyone or stop it from happening. But if WE make a $50 error on our SAR7 form, they'll hunt us down in 0.5 seconds for "fraud" and make us pay back every penny. The whole system is designed to work against us. My cousin had $900 stolen from her EBT last year and they never gave her a penny back, just said "sorry, we couldn't verify it was unauthorized" even though the purchases were made in a different state while she was in the hospital!!

I've been researching this issue extensively as it's affecting many families across California. Here's what's actually happening: 1. Criminals are using skimming devices AND hidden cameras to capture both card info and PINs 2. This isn't an inside job - it's organized crime groups using technology 3. California is behind other states in implementing security features on EBT cards To protect yourself: - Always cover the keypad completely when entering your PIN - Routinely change your PIN (every 30-60 days) - Check your balance after every shopping trip - Consider withdrawing your full benefits at once and using cash instead The state is working on implementing chip technology and mobile app features that would let you temporarily lock your card when not in use, but this won't be fully deployed until late 2025. In the meantime, you can request benefit replacements, though the process is frustratingly slow. If you've been affected, make sure to specifically ask for the "expedited theft resolution process" when you call. Some counties are piloting faster reimbursement, and Sacramento is one of them as of February 2025.

UPDATE: After trying for days to reach someone, I finally got through to Sacramento County using that Claimyr service someone mentioned above. It actually worked! I was connected to a fraud specialist who confirmed Sacramento IS part of the expedited program now. She said they can process theft claims in about 30 days instead of 90 if you have the transaction details and file a police report. She also recommended I download the ConnectEBT app to monitor transactions in real-time (I didn't even know this existed). Thanks everyone for your help and suggestions - I'll update again when/if I get my benefits restored.