I want to share some updated information about benefit theft replacement since there seems to be confusion: 1. As of January 2025, California's updated EBT theft reimbursement program covers up to two months of stolen benefits within a federal fiscal year 2. The process requires: - Filing a police report (online is fine in most counties) - Completing form EBT-2259 (Benefit Theft Report) - Submitting a signed affidavit declaring the theft - Providing transaction records showing the unauthorized purchases 3. For emergency assistance while waiting: - Ask your county worker specifically for "expedited theft replacement" - Visit a local food bank (they have special programs for victims of benefit theft) - Check if you qualify for emergency CalFresh supplemental benefits If you're having trouble reaching someone at the county office to process this faster, you can either escalate to a supervisor by clearly stating it's an emergency food situation affecting children, or visit the office in person where they can't put you on hold.

I'm so sorry you're going through this - having benefits stolen twice is absolutely devastating, especially when you have kids depending on those funds. Beyond what others have mentioned, here are a few additional protective steps: 1. Consider using your EBT card only at larger chain stores with better security monitoring rather than smaller independent markets 2. Always inspect the card reader before inserting - look for anything loose, misaligned, or that seems "off" 3. If possible, use the chip reader instead of swiping when available 4. Keep a record of every transaction with photos of receipts to catch unauthorized use faster For immediate food assistance while waiting for replacement benefits, contact 211 (dial 2-1-1) - they can connect you to local food pantries and emergency food programs specifically for families affected by benefit theft. Many have special expedited services for EBT theft victims. Also, if that 3rd Street Market keeps coming up in theft reports, definitely report it to both local police and the USDA fraud hotline. Sometimes coordinated reporting from multiple victims is what finally gets these compromised terminals shut down. Hang in there - you're not alone in this and there are people working to help you get through this crisis.

This is absolutely infuriating! I'm so sorry you and your kids are going through this. The fact that benefits can be stolen so easily and then families have to wait WEEKS for help is just broken. I went through something similar last year and here's what finally worked for me: I called my county supervisor's office (not CalFresh directly) and explained that my children had no food due to EBT theft. The supervisor's office put pressure on the county CalFresh office and I got a callback within 2 days instead of waiting weeks. Sometimes you have to go above the regular workers to get action. Also, while you're fighting this, see if your kids qualify for free school meals if they're not already getting them. At least that covers breakfast and lunch during school days. Some schools even have weekend backpack programs with food to take home. Keep pushing and don't let them brush you off. You shouldn't have to choose between feeding your kids and waiting for the bureaucracy to do its job!

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this nightmare! As someone who works with families facing food insecurity, I wanted to add a few more resources that might help while you're waiting for your benefits to be restored: 1. Contact your local WIC office even if you don't normally qualify - they sometimes have emergency food vouchers for families with young children facing crisis situations like benefit theft. 2. Check if your area has a "Mobile Food Pantry" program - these are different from regular food pantries and often provide much larger quantities of fresh food. You can find locations at feedingamerica.org. 3. Many churches and community centers offer free community meals (not just food to take home) - this can help stretch whatever food you do have. 4. If your kids are under 5, look into local Head Start programs which often provide meals and snacks even during enrollment processes. The fact that this is happening to so many families is absolutely unacceptable. The state needs to fix these security vulnerabilities ASAP instead of making victims wait weeks for help. Keep advocating for yourself and your children - you're doing everything right in a completely broken system.

This is absolutely infuriating but I'm so glad you finally got your money back! I've been dealing with EBT theft for months now and it's like the system is designed to make us give up. My benefits were stolen twice in February - $520 the first time and $340 the second time. Filed reports immediately but kept getting the runaround from the county office. What really gets me is that they have all this technology to detect "suspicious" purchases when we're actually using our own benefits, but somehow can't stop thieves from draining our accounts? The whole system needs an overhaul. I'm definitely going to try bringing documentation of financial hardship like you did. My utilities are about to be shut off and I've been living off food bank donations while waiting for reimbursement. It's beyond cruel to make families wait weeks or months when we're already struggling to survive. Thank you for sharing your experience - it gives me hope that there might be light at the end of this nightmare!

This whole situation is absolutely heartbreaking and infuriating! I can't believe families are being put through this when they're already struggling just to put food on the table. The fact that you had to bring an eviction notice to get action is completely unacceptable - no one should have to be on the verge of homelessness before getting help with stolen benefits. I'm dealing with something similar right now - had $385 stolen two weeks ago and I'm still waiting for any response on my claim. Reading everyone's experiences here is both terrifying (37-46 days?!) and helpful. I had no idea about setting up EBT alerts or that phrase "immediate financial hardship" that someone mentioned. What really bothers me is how the state keeps talking about "improving security" but families are suffering RIGHT NOW while they slowly roll out chip cards. Meanwhile thieves are getting more sophisticated and we're left holding the bag (literally) when our grocery money disappears. I'm so relieved you finally got your money back, but the stress you went through to get there is unacceptable. Thank you for sharing your story - it's helping others like me know what to expect and how to fight for what's rightfully ours.

I've heard of IHSS but wasn't sure if we'd qualify. That would be amazing if I could get paid for some of the care hours. And I didn't know about expedited service - that would be incredibly helpful since we're really struggling right now. Thank you!

I'm sorry you're going through this - the system really isn't set up well for gig workers! One thing that helped me when I was doing Uber Eats was keeping a simple spreadsheet tracking my daily earnings and expenses. I'd log miles driven, gas costs, and any delivery-related expenses each day. For your son's situation, definitely look into the Dependent Care Deduction when you reapply. If you have any childcare costs related to his autism (like respite care, therapeutic services, or even babysitting so you can work), those can be deducted from your income calculation. Also, medical expenses over $35/month for your son can be deducted too. Since you're planning to quit to care for him, make sure to mention that this is due to lack of suitable childcare for his special needs - this can help establish that your income reduction is legitimate and necessary. The county should understand that caring for a child with autism is essentially a full-time job in itself. Hang in there - once you get the right worker who understands these situations, things should go much smoother.

This is exactly why I get so frustrated with benefit misinformation. So glad you got the facts directly from the source! Enjoy your benefits - that's what they're there for!

I'm so glad you went directly to the source and got written confirmation! This thread should be required reading for anyone who has concerns about CalFresh and estate recovery. The amount of misinformation floating around about benefits programs is really harmful - it literally prevents people from accessing help they need and deserve. For anyone else reading this who might have similar concerns: the bottom line is that CalFresh is a nutrition assistance program, not a loan. You're not borrowing money that needs to be paid back. There's absolutely no mechanism in the CalFresh program for estate recovery because it's designed to help people meet their basic nutritional needs, period. Keep spreading the correct information when you hear these rumors!