CalWORKs EBT card theft - Cash Aid stolen from account today - emergency options?

I'm so sorry this happened to you. Yes, there IS emergency replacement for stolen Cash Aid, but you need to act fast. Here's what you need to do: 1. You already called EBT customer service and filed a police report - that's good 2. You need to request an EBT-2259 form (that's the benefit theft form) even if your worker is out 3. Go to your county office IN PERSON right now before they close 4. Explain the situation and ask to speak with the supervisor or officer of the day 5. Bring your police report number and any EBT transaction records showing the withdrawal You can get emergency replacement of stolen benefits within 3 business days if you complete the theft report. But you MUST report it within 3 days of discovering the theft. Don't wait for your regular worker to return.

this happened to me too last year!!! the county made me wait for WEEKS to get my money back. make sure you change your pin number right away and dont give anyone your card info ever. check if someone put a skimmer on the atm you used last. thats how they got my info

My sister works for Welfare to Work and says thieves are using bluetooth skimmers that can steal your info even if you cover the keypad. They can get the card info and PIN at the same time. What she recommends is: 1. ALWAYS check for any weird attachments on card readers before using them 2. Try to only use bank ATMs not standalone ones 3. Set up text alerts for ANY transaction on your EBT account 4. Try to withdraw your money all at once at the beginning of the month instead of leaving it on the card For your immediate problem - when you go to the county office, don't leave until you speak with a supervisor. If they try to tell you to come back Monday, ask for an "emergency expedited replacement due to benefit theft" - use those exact words. They CAN help you today.

The theft replacement process can take up to 10 days unfortunately. In the meantime, you should immediately apply for emergency homeless assistance through CalWORKs since you're facing potential eviction. You can get temporary help with rent even if you've received homeless assistance before. Just make sure to bring your 3-day notice when you go to the office. Also, don't wait in the regular line. Go directly to the reception and tell them it's an emergency benefit theft AND potential eviction situation. Ask for both the EBT-2259 form AND the homeless assistance application at the same time.

If ur havng problms reaching somebody try Claimyr! I was in simlar situation last yr (dint get my money stolen but they cut my benefits with no warning) and couldnt get thru on phone for DAYS. Claimyr got me connected to an actual casewrker in 15 mins when I was on hold forever before. Its at claimyr.com and theres a video showing how it works https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE Just makes sure when u talk to worker ask for supervisor cuz regular workers sometimes dont kno wat to do with theft cases

UPDATE: Just got back from the county office. They let me file the EBT-2259 form and I talked to a supervisor who said they'd process it as high priority but it could still take 5-10 business days to investigate and replace. BUT the good news is they approved me for emergency homeless assistance to cover my rent for this month!!! I had to fill out a bunch of paperwork but they're sending payment directly to my landlord. THANK YOU everyone for your help - especially about asking for the homeless assistance! I had no idea that was even an option and the first worker I talked to didn't mention it until I specifically asked!

anybody else notice how theyre always "investigating" these thefts?? like what r they investigating?? the money is GONE an they have the atm footage right there!! smh took them 3 weeks to replace mine when this happened an then they sent me a letter sayin i should be more careful with my card!! as if it was MY FAULT!! the whole system is broken

I just talked to my sister again (the one who works for CalWORKs) and she said to make sure you document EVERYTHING from this point forward. Save all receipts for expenses you have to make while waiting for your replacement benefits. If you have to borrow money from someone to cover other bills, keep records of that too. Apparently, in some cases, they can provide additional assistance beyond just replacing what was stolen if you can show financial hardship caused by the delay. Not guaranteed, but worth asking about when you follow up.

So glad you got the emergency housing assistance! That's a huge relief. Just wanted to add - while you're waiting for the theft investigation, make sure to check if your county has a "Good Samaritan" emergency food program. Many counties have small emergency food vouchers (usually $50-100) specifically for situations like this where benefits were stolen. It's separate from regular CalFresh and doesn't affect your other benefits. You can ask about it when you call to follow up on your theft claim. Also, some food banks have special emergency boxes for families dealing with benefit theft - they understand this is becoming such a common problem. Stay strong, you handled this exactly right!