CalWORKs EBT fraud claim denied after receiving replacement funds - will I have to pay it back?

They did the EXACT same thing to me last year!!! I had $486 stolen in December (right b4 Christmas of course 🙄) and got a replacement check after filing the claim. Then like 3 weeks later got a denial letter saying they 'found no evidence of fraud'. Next month they took half my cash aid to start repaying it and kept doing that for 2 months. It's such garbage, like how am I supposed to prove I wasn't the one who spent my own money??? The system is totally rigged.

This happens because the county often issues provisional credits while the investigation is ongoing. When they deny the claim, they establish what's called an 'administrative overpayment' which you'll need to repay. You have the right to appeal this decision within 90 days of the date on the denial letter. Look for the 'Fair Hearing Request' information on the letter. During an appeal, you can present any evidence you have that the transactions weren't made by you (like being at work/school during those times, never shopping at those stores, etc). If the appeal doesn't work, they typically recover the funds by reducing your cash aid by 10% each month until it's repaid, but you can request a hardship reduction if that would cause your family significant financial problems.

Tht happnd 2 me 2 but i was able 2 fight it. Call ur worker asap and tel them u need to appeal. If ur gettin denied its cuz they think u did the transactions urself or let some1 use ur card. Did u have ur actual card the whole time or was it stolen? did u hav ur pin written down somewere? they will ask u all this stuff

When this happened to me last year with a $935 theft, I appealed the denial and actually won! Here's what helped me: 1. I printed out my Google Maps timeline showing I was nowhere near those stores when the transactions happened 2. I got a statement from my employer confirming I was at work during some of the transactions 3. I brought bank statements showing I'd never shopped at those stores before 4. I filed a police report (which most people don't know to do) The ALJ (Administrative Law Judge) ruled in my favor and I didn't have to repay anything. It's worth fighting if you have any evidence at all!

Has anyone tried calling Claimyr to get through to the EBT fraud department? I was dealing with a similar situation last month and couldn't get anyone on the phone for DAYS. My friend told me about claimyr.com and they got me connected to an actual person at the fraud department in like 15 minutes. There's a video showing how it works at https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE. It was the only way I could talk to someone who could actually explain what was happening with my claim instead of just waiting around freaking out.

this is y i always get my full amount in cash as soon as it hits my card, cant steal whats not there lol. but for real u need to appeal asap, u only got like 90 days i think. and dont spend that money if u can help it cuz theyll take it back one way or another. happened to my sister and they garnished her tax refund when she didn't pay it back from her benefits

DONT WASTE TIME with the county workers!!! Go straight to a hearing. The county ALWAYS sides with the EBT company cause they don't wanna pay out claims. I got denied twice before winning at hearing. They treat us like were all committing fraud when WE are the victims!! SO frustrating!!!

They'll most likely recover the money through recoupment (taking a percentage of your cash aid each month) rather than demanding it all at once. The standard is usually 10% of your grant amount, but you can request a lower percentage if that would cause a hardship. You should definitely file for a fair hearing, but also try contacting your county welfare department's fraud prevention unit directly. Sometimes they'll reconsider with additional information. If you can show you still had physical possession of your card during the transactions, or that you were in a different location, that can help. Also, make sure you change your PIN immediately and check if there are any suspicious devices attached to ATMs you've used recently. Sometimes criminals install skimmers that can capture your card information.

u should contact legal aid in ur county they help with calworks stuff for free!! they helped my cousin win her case when$$ got stolen

I went through something similar last year and it's so stressful! The key thing is to act fast on that appeal - you really do only have 90 days from the denial letter date. While you're waiting for the hearing, try to gather any evidence you can: work schedules, school attendance records, receipts from other stores showing you were elsewhere, anything that proves you couldn't have made those transactions. One thing that helped me was requesting the detailed transaction report from the county - it shows exactly what stores, times, and amounts. Sometimes there are obvious red flags like multiple transactions minutes apart at stores across town from each other. Also, if you haven't already, file a police report. Even if the police don't investigate, having that report number shows you're taking it seriously and aren't trying to commit fraud yourself. Keep using the replacement money for your normal expenses - that's what it's there for - but definitely don't treat it like "extra" money since you might have to pay it back. Good luck with your appeal! The system is frustrating but people do win these cases when they have evidence.

I'm so sorry this happened to you! This whole situation sounds incredibly stressful and confusing. From what everyone is sharing, it seems like appealing is definitely your best option - don't give up hope yet! One thing I wanted to add that I haven't seen mentioned is to also check if you can get surveillance footage from any stores you were actually at during the time of the fraudulent transactions. I know it sounds like a long shot, but some stores will provide footage to help with fraud cases, especially if you can show you were a regular customer there during the timeframe in question. Also, document EVERYTHING from this point forward - every phone call you make, every person you speak with, dates and times. Keep copies of all letters and forms. This paper trail can be really important if your case drags on. You've got a lot of good advice here about gathering evidence like location data and work records. The fact that you still had your physical card is definitely in your favor. Hang in there - it sounds like many people have successfully fought these denials with the right documentation and persistence!