CalWORKs benefit theft on 5/3 - still no refund. Anyone else waiting?
Just wondering if anyone else is still waiting for a refund after having their CalWORKs Cash Aid stolen on May 3rd? My entire $952 was wiped out overnight while I was sleeping. Filed the EBT-2259 form with the county on May 5th and they said it could take up to 30 days for investigation. It's been almost 3 weeks now and my rent is coming due. My worker just keeps saying "it's pending" when I call. Has anyone who had their benefits stolen on 5/3 actually received their money back yet? I've got 2 kids and we're seriously struggling right now. The emergency assistance they offered barely covered groceries for a week.
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Luca Ricci
nope, same boat. had $733 taken on 5/3 from the ATM in Oakland (never been there in my life!!!) submitted all paperwork almost 3 wks ago and still NOTHING. called my worker 6 times this week 😡
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Nia Williams
•That's exactly what happened to me! They said there were ATM withdrawals but I NEVER took my card out that day. Did they tell you how much longer it would be? My worker just keeps saying to wait.
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Aisha Mohammed
I'm so sorry you're dealing with this. There was a massive wave of EBT theft in early May affecting CalWORKs recipients across several counties. The state is investigating it as organized fraud, which is why there's a longer processing time than usual. Normally benefit theft claims are resolved within 10 business days, but with this larger incident, they're taking closer to the full 30 days. Make sure you've done these things: 1. Changed your PIN immediately 2. Filed a police report (some counties require this for the claim) 3. Submitted the EBT-2259 form completely filled out 4. Asked your worker specifically about emergency assistance while waiting If your rent is in jeopardy, ask about emergency housing assistance funds specifically. Some counties have separate emergency funds available while theft claims are being processed.
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Nia Williams
•Thank you for this info. I didn't know about the larger fraud incident. I did change my PIN right away and submitted the form, but I haven't filed a police report. Should I still do that now? They never told me I needed to. And my worker just offered the standard emergency assistance ($200), nothing specific for housing while waiting.
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Ethan Campbell
I got my money back yesterday!!!! Had $876 stolen on 5/3 and just got the refund. Didn't get any notification either, it just showed up in my account. Check your balance today!!
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Nia Williams
•Really?! That gives me hope! I just checked and nothing yet, but maybe they're processing them in batches. Did you do anything special to get yours processed faster?
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Ethan Campbell
•Honestly i dont think so? i just submitted the form and called every few days. maybe they're going alphabetically or something bc my last name starts with A lol
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Yuki Watanabe
my sister had her CalWorks stolen to on may 3rd!!!! she got her money back 2 days ago after calling every day for 2 weeks straight. they said the fraud dept is completely overwhelmed right now but the squeaky wheel gets the grease or whatevr
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Nia Williams
•Every day for 2 weeks? Wow, I've only been calling like twice a week. But it's so hard to get through! I spend hours on hold and then sometimes get disconnected.
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Carmen Sanchez
Use Claimyr to get through to your CalWORKs worker faster. I was in the same situation last month (had theft in April) and was spending HOURS trying to get through. Claimyr got me connected to an actual person within 15 minutes. They call the county for you and then call you when they have a real person on the line. Helped me get my claim pushed through faster. Check out their demo: https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE or go to claimyr.com
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Luca Ricci
•does it really work? im so sick of being on hold for like 2 hrs just to get hung up on
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Carmen Sanchez
•It worked for me. The longest part was just waiting for them to call me back (about 15 min). Better than the 2+ hours I was spending on hold before. They connected me directly to a supervisor who could actually help with my theft claim.
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Andre Dupont
I work for a nonprofit that assists CalWORKs recipients. Here's what's happening with the May 3rd theft situation: There was a coordinated attack on EBT cards across California on May 3-4. The state is processing these claims in batches, with priority given to those who've requested expedited handling due to urgent needs (rent, utilities, etc.). If you're facing eviction or utility shutoff, call your worker and specifically request your claim be marked for "expedited processing due to imminent housing crisis." This specific language matters. Also, while waiting, apply for: 1. Homeless Assistance Payment (even if not yet homeless, the threat of eviction qualifies) 2. Emergency food assistance through local food banks 3. County General Assistance (separate from CalWORKs) The good news is that 95% of legitimate theft claims are being approved - it's just taking longer than usual.
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Nia Williams
•Thank you so much for this insider information! I didn't know about that specific language for expedited processing. I'll call tomorrow and use those exact words. My landlord is being somewhat flexible but only until the end of the month.
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Zoe Papadakis
Did anybody else notice that most of the theft happened on the 3rd of the month specifically? That's the day benefits get loaded for people with last names A-K in my county. I'm convinced it's an inside job tbh. same thing happened back in december and january... they target right when benefits drop
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Luca Ricci
•YES!!!! thats exactly what i been saying!!! how do they know exactly when funds drop??? like they knew EXACTLY when to hit our accounts 🤔🤔🤔
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Aisha Mohammed
•It's actually a known pattern with EBT theft. The fraudsters know the deposit schedules and target accounts on those days. The state is supposedly implementing new security measures, including eventually moving to cards with chips instead of just magnetic strips. But that's still months away from being fully rolled out.
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Nia Williams
UPDATE: Just called using that specific language about "expedited processing due to imminent housing crisis" and finally got somewhere! The supervisor said they'll flag my case for priority review and I should see a resolution within 3-5 business days. They also referred me to a rental assistance program through a local nonprofit that might help in the meantime. Thanks everyone for the advice!
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Andre Dupont
•Great news! Make sure to follow up if you don't see the funds by next Wednesday. And definitely reach out to that nonprofit right away - many have emergency funds that can be approved same-day for rent assistance.
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Honorah King
I'm so sorry you're going through this! I had my benefits stolen on May 3rd too ($489) and finally got my refund yesterday after using that expedited processing language. What really helped was calling first thing in the morning (around 8 AM) when the phone lines open - I got through much faster than calling later in the day. Also, I documented every call I made with the date, time, and who I spoke with. When I called for expedited processing, I had all those details ready which seemed to help show I'd been actively following up. Don't give up - it sounds like they're finally processing the May 3rd cases now!
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