CalWORKs EBT theft replacement approved! Timeline & steps I took to get my stolen benefits back

I'm so glad you got your benefits replaced! You did exactly the right things. I work with CalWORKs recipients professionally, and the timeline is actually pretty good compared to what I've seen recently. A couple additional tips for anyone dealing with EBT theft:- Always request a new card number when your benefits are stolen (sounds like you did this)- Take screenshots of any suspicious transactions - Check if any unauthorized BenefitsCal account changes were made- Never share your PIN with anyone or enter it on websitesTheir policy is to investigate and replace stolen benefits within 10 calendar days if you've provided all documentation. Sounds like they hit that timeline for you.

Thank you! Yes I did get a new card. The worker mentioned something about a recent change in how they handle these cases? She said before February they weren't always replacing benefits but now they're being more understanding about electronic theft. I'm just so relieved because my landlord doesn't exactly accept excuses for late rent!

im dealing with this EXACT SAME SITUATION right now!!!! someone stole my cash aid last friday (march 15) and i did the police report and everything but haven't heard ANYTHING back yet. did u have to physically go into the office too? or just upload stuff to benefitscal? im so stressed out rn

I only uploaded to BenefitsCal but I called like 10 times. Honestly what worked was calling right when they opened at 8am. Still waited 45 mins but eventually got through. Ask them to escalate it as an emergency situation because of upcoming bills. Hope you get it resolved soon!

I had this happen in January and it took them almost 3 weeks to replace my benefits!!! The county offices are completely overwhelmed with these scams right now. You got lucky with that quick timeline. Did they tell you how the scammers got your card info? Mine was from a skimmer at a gas station apparently.

The worker didn't say exactly how it happened but mentioned something about skimming. I'm pretty careful with my card but I did use it at a new convenience store last week... guessing that might be where it happened. 3 weeks is insane! Did you have to keep calling them or did they eventually contact you?

If anyone is struggling to get through to the CalWORKs office about benefit theft, I found this service called Claimyr that helped me so much. Instead of waiting on hold forever, they actually call the county for you and then connect you once they reach a real person. Saved me hours of frustration when my benefits were stolen last month. Their site is claimyr.com and they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwEBtw congrats on getting your benefits back! It's such a scary feeling when you're counting on that money and suddenly it's gone.

does this really work?? i've been on hold with la county for over an hour trying to check on my theft claim and im ready to throw my phone lol

Yep it actually does! I was super skeptical too but my cousin recommended it after he used it for his unemployment claim. CalWORKs phone systems are the WORST and this was the only way I could actually talk to someone about my case.

This is happening SO MUCH lately it's ridiculous!!! The county needs to do something better to protect our benefits. I've started withdrawing my cash aid immediately when it hits my account and keeping it at home because I don't trust the EBT cards anymore. Three people in my CalWORKs orientation group had their benefits stolen last month!

While I understand the temptation to withdraw all your cash immediately, please be careful with keeping large amounts of cash at home. That creates different security risks. A safer alternative is requesting direct deposit to a regular bank account instead of using the EBT card for Cash Aid. You can do this by filling out the Direct Deposit Authorization Form (CA 2090). This way your benefits go straight to your bank account where there's typically better fraud protection.

I didn't even know direct deposit was an option for CalWORKs! No one at the county ever mentioned this to me. Is this available in all counties? I'm in San Bernardino County.

Yes, direct deposit is available in all California counties for CalWORKs. It's not always promoted well but it's definitely an option! Just ask your worker for the CA 2090 form next time you speak with them.

did they ask u a bunch of questions when u called? im always worried they'll think IM the one trying to scam or something. like did they make u prove u weren't the one who spent the $$? the whole system treats us like we're criminals and it makes me so anxious

They did ask a lot of questions, but it wasn't accusatory. Had to explain where I was when the transactions happened and confirm I had possession of my card. The worker said having the police report really helped make my case. Don't be afraid to advocate for yourself - it's YOUR money!

ppl keep saying to check benefitscal for messages but where exactly do u look?? i uploaded my police report but don't see any updates

Go to the

Update: My replacement benefits just hit my new card this morning! Exactly when they said they would. One thing I forgot to mention - they only replace what was stolen during that specific incident. So if you had any leftover benefits from previous months that got stolen too, make sure to mention that specifically when you file your claim! The worker almost missed that in my case.

thx for updating!! gives me hope mine will come thru soon too. did u have to get a whole new ebt card or just new pin?

I got a completely new card with new number. The worker strongly recommended it. Said even changing the PIN isn't always enough because sometimes the scammers have ways to access the card info regardless of PIN changes. Be prepared that the new card takes 3-5 business days to arrive by mail though!

This is such valuable information, thank you for sharing your experience! I'm dealing with a similar situation right now - had $485 stolen from my EBT card last week. I filed the police report and uploaded everything to BenefitsCal but haven't heard back yet. Your post gives me hope that persistence pays off. I'm definitely going to try calling right at 8am tomorrow like you suggested. It's so frustrating that we have to jump through all these hoops when we're already struggling, but I'm grateful to know the process can work. Did they give you any advice on preventing this from happening again? I'm paranoid about using my card anywhere now!