CalWORKs benefits stolen from EBT card - do I report theft on weekend or wait until Monday?
I just checked my EBT card balance this morning and ALL of my CalWORKs cash aid is gone!! Someone must have stolen my benefits. I had $694 on there yesterday and now it's showing $0. The transactions aren't even showing in my history yet but the money is definitely gone. I'm freaking out because my rent is due today ($825) and it's my son's 6th birthday tomorrow. Literally couldn't happen at a worse time. Do I need to report this immediately even though it's Saturday? Is there a weekend number for benefit theft? Or do I have to wait until Monday when the county office opens? Has anyone dealt with this before? How long does it take to get the money back? I'm scared my landlord will start eviction if I'm late again.
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Sara Unger
You need to report this IMMEDIATELY! Call the EBT customer service number on the back of your card right now (1-877-328-9677) - they have 24/7 service for reporting stolen benefits. Tell them you need to report unauthorized transactions and they'll freeze your card so no more money can be taken. They'll also start the claim process. Then on Monday, you still need to contact your county CalWORKs office to let them know what happened and follow up on your claim.
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Tyler Murphy
•Thank you so much - I just called and they froze my card. They said they could see 3 transactions at an ATM I've never been to at 2am this morning. How did someone get my PIN?? The rep said I'll need to fill out an EBT 2259 form on Monday with the county. Any idea how long it takes to get the money back? I'm seriously panicking about my rent.
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Butch Sledgehammer
omg this happened to me last year!! took me almost 3 weeks to get my $$ back 😡 definitely call the ebt number like they said above but also take pictures of any receipts or bank statements that show how much u had before. they made me prove everything!
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Tyler Murphy
•3 WEEKS??? I can't wait that long! Did you have to pay a fee to get a replacement card too? The person I talked to mentioned something about that but I was so upset I didn't catch all the details.
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Freya Ross
This is EXACTLY why I always transfer my Cash Aid to my bank account the MINUTE it hits my EBT card!!! The county doesn't care if your benefits get stolen - they act like it's YOUR fault. They give you the runaround and make you wait FOREVER to get your money back. One lady at my office had to wait 45 DAYS!!! The whole system is rigged against us. Sorry this happened to you but let this be a lesson to EVERYONE reading - NEVER leave your cash benefits on your EBT card!!!
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Leslie Parker
•That's not entirely accurate. While transferring to a bank account is a good security practice, benefit theft claims are taken seriously. The investigation process does take time though. Federal regulations require EBT fraud claims to be processed within 10 business days for provisional credit, though final resolution may take up to 90 days in complex cases. It's not about the county "not caring" - they have to follow specific protocols for investigating fraud.
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Sergio Neal
have u checked if ther doing skimmers at the atms around u? my cousin had this happen and turned out somebody put a skimmer on the ATM at the gas station by her house and got like 15 peoples card info. u should call the police to and file a report cuz that helps the claim go faster
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Tyler Murphy
•I didn't even think about skimmers! I used the ATM at the minimart down the street yesterday. I'll definitely call the police. Do I need to get a case number or something from them for my CalWORKs worker?
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Savanna Franklin
You might want to try reaching out to your landlord and explaining the situation. Bring proof that you filed the claim. Some landlords will work with you if they know you're actively addressing the problem. When my benefits were delayed last year, I showed my landlord the paperwork from my worker and he gave me a 10-day extension without late fees. Worth a try!
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Tyler Murphy
•I'll try but this is the 3rd time I've had issues with rent this year (first was when they made an error on my SAR7, second was when they lost my verification documents). My landlord already warned me he won't be flexible anymore. I'm so stressed about this.
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Leslie Parker
For the fastest resolution on Monday, I recommend using Claimyr to reach a live CalWORKs caseworker quickly. The regular county phone lines can have 2-3 hour waits or just disconnect you. Claimyr gets you through to a live person usually within 5-10 minutes. You'll need to explain the situation to your worker and tell them you've already reported to EBT customer service but need to expedite the EBT 2259 form process. Ask specifically about hardship assistance while your claim is being processed. You can see how Claimyr works at https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE and sign up at claimyr.com - definitely worth it for emergency situations like this.
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Tyler Murphy
•Thank you - I've never heard of this service before but I'm definitely going to use it Monday morning. Last time I called the regular line I waited over 2 hours and then got disconnected! I can't afford to waste time like that in this situation.
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Juan Moreno
hey just wondering, did u check if maybe u forgot about any automatic payments? sometimes my rent gets taken out automatic and i freak out thinking someone stole my money but it was just me forgetting lol. also check if ur card is compromised maybe? like if someone has a copy of it
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Tyler Murphy
•No, I don't have any automatic payments set up. The EBT customer service confirmed there were 3 ATM withdrawals early this morning at a location I've never been to. Someone definitely stole my card info or PIN somehow.
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Sara Unger
While you're waiting for your claim to be processed, you should also ask your CalWORKs worker about Emergency Assistance funds. If you explain that your rent is due and you have a child whose birthday is tomorrow, they might be able to process a one-time emergency payment. Bring a copy of your lease showing the rent due date, the police report, and the EBT theft claim number when you go in on Monday. This falls under the "immediate need" category in certain counties.
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Tyler Murphy
•That's really helpful, thank you! I'll definitely ask about Emergency Assistance. Do you know if I need to bring anything specific for that application? I have my lease and can get the police report, but anything else I should prepare over the weekend?
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Sara Unger
•Bring any notices from your landlord about late fees or previous warnings (to establish urgency), your son's ID or birth certificate (to verify his birthday), bank statements showing you don't have other funds available, and if possible, a written statement from your landlord about your rent status. The more documentation you have about your immediate need, the better your chances.
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Butch Sledgehammer
also change ur pin number as soon as u get ur new card!!! and NEVER use the same pin for anything else. my worker told me lots of ppl use the same pin for everything and thats how they get hacked sometimes
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Tyler Murphy
•You're right - I've been using the same PIN for everything 🤦♀️ Definitely changing that when I get the new card!
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Savanna Franklin
Just wanted to update everyone - I went through something similar last month and finally got my money back yesterday. Here's what worked: 1) Filed police report right away 2) Submitted the EBT 2259 form to my CalWORKs office 3) Called EVERY SINGLE DAY to check status 4) Asked to speak to a supervisor when they kept giving me the runaround 5) Contacted my county supervisor's office (found contact info on county website) who helped expedite things. Total time: 16 days from theft to replacement. Not great but better than some horror stories I've heard. Stay persistent!
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Tyler Murphy
•Thank you for sharing this timeline - it helps set my expectations. I'll definitely be calling daily and I never thought about contacting my county supervisor if things drag on. I'll try all of these strategies!
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