CalWORKs EBT theft reimbursement approved same-day in LA County - success story!

I went through this exact situation in January! YES - you can absolutely get it processed faster. DO NOT just wait around for them to process the form. You need to call the LA County DPSS directly (not the EBT customer service) and explain that this is an emergency situation because you have rent coming due. Be prepared to spend some time on hold though - it took me about 1.5 hours to get through to a live person. When you get through, ask to speak with a supervisor about your EBT theft claim. Explain that you've already filed the paperwork in person but need emergency processing due to your rent situation. They can expedite it and often get the funds reloaded within 24-48 hours if they determine it's a valid theft. Also - make sure to change your PIN number right away if you haven't already done that!

omg this same thing happen to me but it was my calfresh not cash aid!! they told me 30 days and i waited the whole time and got nothing back!! 😡 so mad bc my worker never told me i could call and ask them to hurry it up. gonna try that next time

I recommend checking if you have any paystubs or other proof of recent ATM withdrawals you DID make. They asked me for that when processing my claim because they compare it to your normal withdrawal patterns. It helps them prove the suspicious transactions weren't you. Also take screenshots of the fraudulent transactions showing the ATM locations if you can still see them in your account history.

Call them RIGHT NOW, don't wait. I had $890 stolen in December and waited 3 weeks with no update. Finally got so desperate I called the main line, waited on hold FOREVER, and when I finally got through they said my claim had been sitting unprocessed the whole time! They expedited it once I explained my situation and I had the money back in 2 days. The EBT theft is getting so bad in LA County lately, they're actually starting to take it more seriously. Also, when you do get your money back, transfer it to a bank account immediately if you can. Don't leave it sitting on the EBT card where it could get stolen again.

the system is SO broken!!!! i had $1500 stolen in november and they DENIED my claim saying i must have given someone my pin!!! i NEVER gave anyone my pin, the thieves are using skimmers at stores and atms to steal the card info. i had to appeal and it took TWO MONTHS to get my money back. the whole time my worker acted like i was lying. such bs how they treat us!!!!

I just went through this whole process last week! Called the LA County DPSS main line after filing my theft claim in person, and the worker was actually really helpful. She expedited my claim after I explained my rent situation. Got my money back in 36 hours! One thing that I think helped - I had filed a police report online about the theft before calling DPSS. The worker said that showed I was serious about the claim and wasn't just trying to get extra benefits. You can file a report online with LAPD if the theft happened in LA city, or with Sheriff's dept if it was elsewhere in the county. Good luck! The system can actually work when you get the right person on the phone.

This is such a helpful thread! I'm a case worker at a different county and want to add that documenting everything is super important for these claims. Take photos of your EBT card to show it's still in your possession, save screenshots of the fraudulent transactions, and if possible, get receipts from legitimate purchases you made around the same time to show your normal spending pattern. Also, for anyone reading this - if your card gets compromised, call the EBT customer service line IMMEDIATELY to freeze the card (1-877-328-9677). This prevents additional fraudulent transactions while you're working on getting the theft claim processed. You can request a replacement card at the same time. The fact that Ethan got same-day approval shows the system CAN work when you advocate for yourself. Don't be afraid to escalate to supervisors - they often have more authority to expedite emergency situations like this!

This is such an encouraging success story! I'm so glad you were able to get your benefits restored the same day - that gives me hope for others dealing with this nightmare. I wanted to add something that might help future readers: if you're having trouble getting through to LA County DPSS by phone, try calling right when they open at 8am or during lunch hours (around 12-1pm) when call volume might be lower. I've noticed those times tend to have shorter hold times. Also, for anyone who might be reading this thread in the future - document EVERYTHING. Keep notes of who you spoke with, what time you called, reference numbers they give you, etc. If you have to call multiple times, this information can be really helpful when explaining your situation to the next person. The EBT theft problem is getting worse everywhere, not just LA County. I've heard similar stories from friends in other parts of California. It's so frustrating that we have to fight this hard just to get back money that was stolen from us, but threads like this prove that persistence really does pay off. Thanks for sharing your experience and helping others navigate this broken system!

Wow, this is exactly the kind of success story we need to hear more of! I'm so glad you got your benefits back the same day, Ethan. As someone who's been navigating the CalWORKs system for a while, I know how stressful these situations can be. I wanted to add a tip that helped me when I had a similar issue last year - if you're ever in this situation again, ask the DPSS worker for a "case action notice" or some kind of written confirmation that your claim has been approved and processed. Sometimes there can be delays between when they say it's approved and when the funds actually show up on your card. Having that documentation can help if you need to follow up. Also, for anyone else reading this thread - consider setting up text alerts for your EBT account if you haven't already. You'll get notified immediately when transactions happen, which can help you catch theft faster. You can usually set this up through your state's EBT website or by calling the customer service number. Thanks for sharing your experience and all the great advice you got from everyone here. This community is really valuable for helping each other navigate these challenges!

This thread is incredibly helpful and gives me so much hope! I'm dealing with EBT theft right now too - someone got $980 of my CalWORKs benefits last weekend. I filed the claim form on Monday but was dreading the 10-30 day wait they told me about. Reading about everyone's experiences, especially Ethan's same-day success, has convinced me to call tomorrow morning instead of just waiting. I'm going to try calling right at 8am like someone suggested, and I'll definitely ask to speak with a supervisor if they give me the standard "wait 10-30 days" response. One question - did anyone have success getting emergency food assistance while waiting for their theft claim to be processed? I know there's supposed to be some kind of expedited SNAP benefits for emergencies, but I'm not sure if EBT theft qualifies. My CalFresh is almost gone too and I have two kids to feed. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and advice. It's so frustrating that we have to become experts in navigating this system just to get back money that was stolen from us, but at least we can help each other through it!