I'm so sorry this happened to you again! As a fellow CalWORKs recipient, I know how scary and stressful this is. Just wanted to add a couple things that helped me when I went through this last year: 1. When you submit your paperwork, ask for a confirmation number or receipt that shows they received everything. This helps you track your case if it gets delayed. 2. Keep calling every few days to check status - don't just wait for them to contact you. The squeaky wheel gets the grease with these offices. 3. If you're comfortable with it, consider asking family or friends if they can help with groceries this week while you wait. I know it's hard to ask, but sometimes people want to help and just don't know how. You're doing everything right by acting quickly and filing all the reports. Hang in there - you'll get through this! The system is frustrating but they do eventually make it right.

I'm really sorry you're going through this - EBT theft is such a violation and it's awful that criminals are targeting people who are already struggling. Based on what others have shared here, it sounds like you're on the right track with getting everything reported quickly. One thing I wanted to mention that I learned the hard way - when you get your replacement card, consider setting up account alerts if your county offers them. Some counties will send you text alerts when transactions happen on your card, so you can catch theft faster. Also, I started taking photos of ATMs before I use them to check for anything that looks off or newly attached. The waiting is the worst part, especially when you have bills due. But it sounds like the emergency aid option might help bridge the gap. Definitely keep pushing for that since you have rent coming up. Counties don't always volunteer information about what's available, so you have to advocate for yourself. Sending you strength while you deal with this mess - you shouldn't have to be an expert on fraud protection just to access your basic benefits!

UPDATE: I finally got through to someone today! I tried that Claimyr service that someone recommended here, and it actually worked. Took about 45 minutes but I got connected to a real person who looked at my case. Turns out they had recorded my last two paychecks as weekly income instead of bi-weekly, which is why my benefit amount was so much lower! The worker fixed it and said I should see the corrected amount plus the back pay for last month on my next payment. So relieved! Thanks everyone for your help and suggestions!

I'm so glad you were able to get this resolved! This is exactly the kind of systemic issue we're seeing with the BenefitsCal transition - simple data entry errors that have huge impacts on families. Your experience highlights how important it is for everyone to keep detailed records of their income reporting. For anyone else dealing with similar issues, weekly vs bi-weekly income calculation errors are unfortunately common right now. Always double-check that your pay frequency is recorded correctly in the system, and don't hesitate to ask the worker to verify how they're calculating your income when you're on the phone with them. Thanks for updating us - it gives hope to others who are struggling with the same problems!

UPDATE: Had my interview this morning! The worker actually was really understanding about our situation. She said my son's medical needs definitely qualify us for a temporary exemption (3 months to start) and gave me the CW 61 form to have his doctor fill out. She's also referring us to the Homeless Assistance Program for help with housing! Thank you everyone for your advice - it really helped me know what to say and what to ask for. I feel so much relief knowing I'll have time to focus on getting us stable without WTW pressure right now.

Congratulations on getting the exemption! That's such a relief. I wanted to add one tip from my experience - when you get the CW 61 form filled out by your son's doctor, ask them to be really specific about why your presence is required for his care. The more detailed they are about his needs and your role as caregiver, the stronger your case will be for renewals. Also, keep copies of everything they give you - the county has a habit of "losing" paperwork. Wishing you and your little one all the best with finding stable housing through the HAP program!

One more thing - since your son is on SSI, remember that his SSI money is completely separate from your CalWORKs budget. The SSI recipient is excluded from the CalWORKs household size calculation, and their income/resources don't count toward CalWORKs eligibility. This is actually positive for you in this situation - as long as you can show the money was just passing through his account and wasn't actually new income to your CalWORKs household, you should be fine. The investigator was probably just making sure those deposits weren't unreported income that would affect your CalWORKs eligibility.

I've been through a similar fraud investigation and want to share what helped me get through it. First, the fact that you're still receiving payments is actually a really good sign - they typically suspend benefits immediately if they think there's actual fraud happening. Second, that system status issue is super common during investigations. My CalWORKs showed "pending" for almost 2 months even though I kept getting my deposits. Here's what I learned: keep calling your worker every few days (I know it's frustrating with the hold times), and if possible, try to visit the office in person. Sometimes they can update you on the investigation status faster face-to-face. Also, make sure you have copies of everything you sent the investigator - bank statements, those text messages from family members about the loans, anything showing the money was temporary help and not unreported income. The investigators deal with actual fraud cases all the time, so when someone is cooperative and has documentation like you did, they usually close the case pretty quickly. Just hang in there - it sounds like you handled everything correctly!

Update: I finally got through to my county office after trying for days! The worker I spoke with was much more helpful than the first one. They explained that they didn't apply the childcare deduction correctly - we pay my mother-in-law $300/week to watch our younger kids while we work, but the first worker didn't count it because it's paid to a relative! The new worker said they CAN count it if we provide the right documentation. They're reopening our case to recalculate! Also found out we qualify for more CalFresh than they initially approved. Fingers crossed this works out better!

This is exactly why I always tell people to ask for a different worker if the first one seems rushed or unhelpful! So many CalWORKs workers don't fully understand all the deductions available, especially the childcare rules for relatives. The fact that they missed a $1,200/month childcare deduction is huge - that's the difference between qualifying and not qualifying for most families. I've seen this happen so many times where families get denied because the worker didn't ask the right questions or didn't know all the rules. Your persistence really paid off! For anyone else reading this - always ask specifically about ALL childcare costs, even if paid to family members, and don't give up after the first denial if something doesn't seem right about the calculation.