Got reported for CalWORKs fraud by someone I know - what happens now?

First, take a deep breath. This happens more often than you think. The fraud division does investigate all reports, but that doesn't automatically mean you'll lose benefits or face criminal charges. Here's what typically happens: 1. They'll schedule an interview with you 2. They'll ask for documentation about your work and income 3. They'll likely check with your cousin about payments Honestly, not reporting income is a serious issue with CalWORKs. ALL income must be reported, even if it's cash and even if it's irregular. The good news is that if this is your first violation and the amounts are relatively small, you might just face an overpayment that you'll need to pay back and possibly a period of disqualification from the program. I'd recommend being completely honest during the investigation. Bring any records of exactly when you worked and how much you earned. The penalties are much worse if they think you're continuing to hide information.

omg my cousin went thru this exact thing last year!!! her baby daddy reported her for working at a nail salon while gettin cash aid. they didn't stop her benefits right away but they did after the interview when she admitted she was working. she had to pay back like $3700 and couldn't get cash aid for 6 months. the worst part was all the stress of the interviews and paperwork. they made her feel like a criminal 😠

They probably won't cut your benefits immediately - that usually only happens if they have concrete proof and even then they have to give you notice. But you should be preparing for the possibility that they'll find an overpayment and you'll have to pay it back. You might also face an Intentional Program Violation (IPV) since you knowingly didn't report income. For a first offense with a small amount, they might let you sign a disqualification agreement rather than going through a hearing. This would mean you'd be disqualified from getting Cash Aid for 6 months but your kids would still get their portion. Whatever you do, DON'T miss any appointments they schedule. That makes everything worse. And get your story straight with your cousin before they contact her - if she says one thing and you say another, that looks really bad.

Everyones being way too nice here. You committed FRAUD. You knew you were supposed to report ALL income and chose not to. This isnt a simple mistake. You took advantage of taxpayer dollars while breaking the rules. Meanwhile people who actually follow the rules struggle to get benefits. This is exactly why the system is so strict on everyone. And now your worried about consequences? Should of thought about that before.

im so sorry ur going through this!! my neighbor went through somethng similar. the most important thing is to call your eligibility worker ASAP and try to explain before the fraud investgation gets too far. sometimes they can work with u if u come clean first. better to fix it now then try to hide it more u know? and def bring proof of exactly how much u made at your cousins cause they gonna ask for it anyways

I've gone through this whole process, and I can tell you that getting through to your worker ASAP is critical. I kept getting voicemail too when I was dealing with my case. After days of trying, I discovered Claimyr (claimyr.com) which got me through to a real person at the CalWORKs office in less than 30 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE Seriously, it saved me so much stress because I could actually talk to someone and explain my situation before the investigation went further. The sooner you can talk to your worker, the better chance you have of working something out.

Quick update on what you said about the money being "irregular" - CalWORKs has specific rules about this. Even if the income is irregular, you're still required to report it on the SAR7 form in the month you receive it. If your income goes over the Income Reporting Threshold (IRT) that's listed on your paperwork, you have to report within 10 days, not just wait for the next SAR7. For your investigation, gather these documents if you can: 1. Any text messages or notes about when you worked 2. Rough estimates of how much you made each month 3. A written statement from your cousin verifying the work was irregular The fraud investigators will likely visit your home and your cousin's shop. They might also check your bank accounts, so be prepared for that.

Hey i just remembered - my friend had almost the same thing happen and she wrote a statement saying it was a misunderstanding about reporting requirements and she thought since it wasnt regular income she didnt have to report it. they were more lenient with her cuz they decided it wasnt intentional fraud just a mistake. might be worth a try?

All of you are missing the BIGGEST issue here - if her ex reported her, he probably has PROOF. Text messages, pictures, maybe even records of when she was working. This isn't just her word against his. The fraud investigators will get all that evidence.

Update: I got a notice today saying my interview with the fraud investigator is scheduled for next week. I'm gathering all my information about when I worked and how much I earned. I'm going to be completely honest. Thank you all for your advice - even the harsh comments helped me realize how serious this is. I just hope I don't lose all my benefits because I don't know how we'll survive without them.

Something important to remember: Even if you do get disqualified temporarily from CalWORKs, be sure to ask about your continued eligibility for CalFresh (food stamps) and Medi-Cal. Those programs have different rules and penalties, and your children should still qualify even if you're personally disqualified from Cash Aid. Also, during your interview, if they determine you have an overpayment, ask about a repayment plan. They can usually set up very small monthly payments that get deducted from future benefits once you're eligible again.

I'm going through something similar right now and wanted to share what I've learned. The most important thing is to stay organized and document everything. I created a timeline of all the work I did and payments I received, even rough estimates. One thing that really helped me was understanding that they differentiate between "inadvertent overpayments" and "intentional program violations." If you can show it was a misunderstanding about irregular work rather than deliberately trying to defraud the system, the penalties are usually less severe. Also, during your interview, don't volunteer information they don't ask for, but answer their questions completely and honestly. Bring a support person if they allow it - sometimes having someone there helps you stay calm and think clearly. The waiting is the worst part, but try to focus on what you can control right now: gathering your documentation, being prepared for the interview, and having a plan for different outcomes. You're doing the right thing by taking this seriously and being proactive about it.

I'm new to this community but wanted to share what happened to my sister recently. She went through a CalWORKs fraud investigation last year after her ex reported her too. The investigation took about 3 months total, but they didn't cut her benefits during that time - they waited until after the final determination. A few things that helped her case: 1. She kept detailed records of exactly when she worked and how much she earned 2. She was completely upfront during the interview - no trying to minimize or hide anything 3. She brought bank statements showing she wasn't depositing large amounts regularly They ended up classifying it as an inadvertent overpayment rather than intentional fraud because she could show the work really was sporadic and she genuinely thought cash work under a certain amount didn't need to be reported. She had to pay back about $1,800 over 18 months but avoided any disqualification period. The key thing her caseworker told her was that honesty during the process makes a huge difference in how they handle the case. They see people trying to lie or cover things up all the time, so when someone is genuinely remorseful and cooperative, it usually works in their favor. Hang in there - it's scary but most people get through this!

I'm new here but wanted to share some practical advice from my experience working at a legal aid clinic. One thing I haven't seen mentioned is that you have rights during this process that investigators should explain to you but don't always emphasize. You have the right to: - Request an interpreter if needed - Ask for clarification on any questions during the interview - Request copies of any documents they're using as evidence - Appeal any final determination they make Also, if they do find an overpayment, make sure you understand exactly how they calculated it. Sometimes there are errors in their math or they include months where your income was properly reported. Don't just accept their numbers without reviewing them carefully. One more tip - if your cousin is willing to provide a written statement about the irregular nature of the work and payment amounts, that can be really helpful. Having third-party verification of your version of events carries more weight than just your word alone. The investigation process is stressful, but remember that the majority of these cases end up being resolved as overpayments rather than criminal fraud charges, especially for first-time issues with smaller amounts like yours.

I'm new to this community but going through a very similar situation right now. My ex also reported me after our breakup and I just had my fraud investigation interview last week. I wanted to share a few things that might help: First, they did allow me to reschedule my interview once when I couldn't get childcare, so if you need accommodations, ask. Second, the investigator was actually more professional and less intimidating than I expected - they're just doing their job, not trying to trap you. One thing I wish I had known beforehand: they asked very specific questions about my living situation, who else has access to my benefits card, and whether anyone else helps support my household. Make sure you're prepared to answer those accurately because they can verify a lot of this information. Also, if you do end up with an overpayment, ask about hardship considerations. If paying it back would cause severe financial strain, they sometimes have options to reduce the monthly payment amount or pause collections temporarily. The waiting for results after the interview is nerve-wracking, but at least once it's done you'll know where you stand. Hang in there - you're handling this the right way by taking it seriously and being prepared.

I'm new to this community but wanted to share some encouragement and practical advice. I went through a fraud investigation about two years ago - also reported by an ex - and while it was one of the most stressful experiences of my life, I got through it and you will too. A few things that really helped me: 1. I organized everything chronologically - dates worked, amounts earned, any proof I had (even photos of me at work). This showed I was taking it seriously. 2. During my interview, I brought a simple one-page summary of all the unreported work with dates and amounts. The investigator actually appreciated having it organized. 3. I admitted my mistake immediately and explained that I genuinely thought sporadic cash work under $300/month didn't need to be reported until the next SAR7. They classified mine as an inadvertent overpayment. I had to pay back $2,100 over 20 months (about $105/month deducted from future benefits) but kept my CalFresh and Medi-Cal throughout, and my kids' portion of Cash Aid was never affected. The hardest part is the waiting and not knowing, but the fact that you're being proactive and honest puts you in the best possible position. Most investigators can tell the difference between someone trying to scam the system and a single parent who made a reporting mistake while trying to get by. You've got this - just focus on being completely truthful and organized with your documentation.