happened to me too last month. i got the money back but took like 20 days. Call RIGHT NOW, dont wait. the cops didnt do anything btw, just gave me a report number and never followed up

I'm so sorry this happened to you! EBT theft is unfortunately very common right now. I had my benefits stolen twice last year - once from a skimmer at a corner store ATM and once from what they think was a data breach. Here's what worked for me to speed up the process: When you go to your county office, bring a printed copy of your EBT transaction history (you can get this online or by calling the EBT customer service number). Having those unauthorized transactions highlighted really helped my case worker process everything faster. Also, ask specifically for the "Immediate Need" emergency assistance - they can give you some cash for groceries and urgent bills while your claim is being investigated. One tip that's helped me avoid future theft: I now withdraw my entire Cash Aid balance on the day it posts and keep it in cash at home rather than leaving it on the card. It's not ideal but it's safer than risking another theft. You can also ask your worker about direct deposit to a bank account if you have one. Stay persistent with the county office - call every few days for updates on your claim. The squeaky wheel gets the grease with these situations. Good luck and I hope you get your money back quickly!

I hope everyone affected by this files a complaint with the state. Go to cdss.ca.gov and find the complaint form. The more of us that complain, the more pressure there is to fix these ongoing system problems. They can't keep leaving families stranded like this!

I'm so sorry this happened to you! As a single mom who's been on CalWORKs for 2 years, I know exactly how terrifying it is when you can't access your benefits right before rent is due. The system failures are way too common and they never seem to learn from them. Since you got confirmation from your worker about the system issue, I'd suggest also asking them for a formal letter on county letterhead that you can give to your landlord. Some landlords are more understanding when they see official documentation. Also, if your landlord does charge you a late fee because of this, keep all the documentation - the county should reimburse you since it's their system failure, not anything you did wrong. Hang in there! This community has really good advice and we're all rooting for you to get through this. 💙

i added my gf and her kid last year and they wanted everyting for both!!! so bring EVERYTHING you can think of - lease, birth certificates, id's, ssn cards, bills, paystubs, marriage license, bank statements, everything!!!! the welfare office in our county kept asking for more and more stuff and it took like 3 months to finally get them added and get the right benefits. so frustrating!!!

Hey Jade! Congratulations on your new baby and marriage! 🎉 I just went through this exact process 6 months ago when I added my partner and our baby to my case. Here's my advice based on what worked for me: **Bring copies of everything, not just originals!** They kept some of my documents and I'm so glad I had copies. **For timing on reporting changes:** Don't wait for your SAR7 - report household changes within 10 days. I know it seems scary but it's actually better to report right away. They'll do the income calculation and you might be pleasantly surprised - with the baby added, your family size increases which means higher income limits. **Important tip nobody mentioned:** Ask specifically about transitional childcare benefits when you're there. Even though your baby is young now, getting on the waitlist early is smart because there's often a waiting period. Also, bring a snack and water bottle - these appointments can take HOURS! Good luck mama, you've got this! 💪

Update: I finally got this resolved today! After three more calls and asking to speak with a supervisor, they found the original Good Cause paperwork in my case file. The supervisor admitted they're having major issues with the child support cooperation flags in the new system. They're issuing me an emergency supplemental payment for the missing $523 that should be on my EBT card within 3 business days. If anyone else is dealing with this, definitely ask for a supervisor review and use the specific phrase "immediate need payment due to agency error" - that seemed to get things moving faster. Thanks everyone for your help and suggestions!

This is so frustrating but unfortunately not surprising. I went through something similar when my county switched systems last year - had an old overpayment from 2015 suddenly start getting deducted from my monthly grant without any warning. For anyone dealing with this, here's what I learned: Document EVERYTHING. Write down the date and time of every call, the name of whoever you speak with, and exactly what they tell you. Take screenshots of your benefit amounts and any online account information. Also, if you're having trouble getting through by phone, try going to your local office in person early in the morning. Sometimes face-to-face contact gets better results, especially for urgent payment issues. Bring all your paperwork with you. The system conversion has been a nightmare for so many families. It's really unfair that we have to deal with these agency errors affecting our ability to pay rent and buy groceries. Stay strong everyone and keep advocating for yourselves!

Thanks everyone for all this info! I'm definitely going to request a review of my case since it sounds like they shouldn't have counted my tax refund as income. And I'll plan for the lower CTC amount just to be safe with my budget. This community is always so helpful - I learn more here than from my actual caseworker half the time!

I'm so glad you found this helpful! It's really frustrating when we get wrong information from workers who are supposed to be helping us. I've been on CalWORKs for 2 years now and I swear I've gotten different answers about the same question from like 4 different people at my county office. For the case review, you can start by calling your worker directly and asking them to remove the overpayment because tax refunds are exempt income. If they give you pushback, ask to speak to a supervisor. You can also file a formal complaint with the county if needed. And yeah, definitely budget for the lower CTC amount - better to be pleasantly surprised than disappointed! Those monthly payments in 2021 were amazing but I'm not holding my breath for them to come back anytime soon.