My CalWORKs benefits stolen from EBT card - what can I do to get my money back?

I'm so sorry this happened to you! Yes, you can get your CalWORKs benefits back if they were stolen electronically. Here's what you need to do: 1. File a report with the county welfare department within 90 days of when you discovered the theft 2. Fill out the "EBT Benefit Theft Report" form (you can ask your worker for this) 3. File a police report - this is important evidence 4. Gather any receipts or statements showing the unauthorized transactions The county has to process your claim and decide whether to give you replacement benefits within 10 days of filing your report. Make sure to follow up if you don't hear back. Keep calling your worker until you get through!

omg this JUST happened to me last month!!! i had $542 stolen and thought id never see it again. but i got it all back after filing the forms. took like 3 weeks tho so u might need emergency help for this month. ask about expedited replacement or emergency assistance when u talk to ur worker!!

I've been dealing with CalWORKs for 8 years now and theft is getting worse. They're supposed to replace your benefits within 10 days once you file the proper paperwork, but THEY NEVER DO! The system is so broken. You'll probably have to call 50 times before anyone helps you. Make sure you document EVERYTHING - dates, times, who you spoke with. Ask for a supervisor if your worker doesn't call back by tomorrow. And watch out - they might try to say you were negligent with your EBT card and deny your claim. FIGHT IT if they do! The law says they have to replace stolen electronic benefits now.

Hey if you need immediate help try calling 211, they can sometimes help with emergency rent assistance while you wait for the benefits to be replaced. Also check with local churches and community action agencies.

When this happened to me I couldn't get through to my worker for days. Finally I used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) and they got me connected to a real person at CalWORKs in like 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE It was worth it because I needed my case resolved ASAP to get my stolen benefits back. Once I finally talked to someone, they told me exactly what forms to fill out and I got my replacement benefits in about 12 days.

Did u check if ur card is still with u? My daughters bf stole her card once and took all her cash but she didnt wanna report him. Just sayin sometimes its people u know not strangers!!!! The county will ask u a bunch of questions so be ready

To answer your other questions - the law changed in 2022 to better protect CalWORKs recipients from electronic theft. You can get up to the full amount replaced, and you file the police report in YOUR city (Fresno). For the 'EBT Benefit Theft Report' form, ask specifically for the CW 2215 form. Make sure to get a case number from the police report to include on your form. If you're worried about rent, also ask your worker about CalWORKs Homeless Assistance, which can help with rent in emergency situations. And yes, unfortunately replacement can take time, which is why it's so important to keep following up. Document every call and ask for a supervisor if needed.

UPDATE: I finally got through to my worker! Went to the police station this morning and filed a report, then called CalWORKs about 20 times until I finally got through. My worker sent me the CW 2215 form and I filled it out right away. She said they have to investigate but should replace the benefits within 10 business days. I'm still stressed about making rent, but she referred me to an emergency assistance program that might help with that. Thanks everyone for your advice - will update again when I hear about my replacement benefits!

I'm so glad you were able to get through to your worker and file all the paperwork! That's the hardest part. For future reference (and for anyone else reading this), here are some tips to protect your EBT card from skimming: - Cover your PIN when entering it at ATMs - Use ATMs inside banks or stores rather than standalone ones when possible - Check your balance regularly through the app or by calling the number - If an ATM seems suspicious or your card gets "stuck," don't use it The skimming devices are getting more sophisticated, so this can happen to anyone. You did everything right by acting quickly once you noticed. Hoping your replacement benefits come through soon and you can get that emergency rent assistance sorted out!