congrats!! glad u got ur money back. its crazy how much we gotta fight just to get what was STOLEN from us in the first place

I'm so sorry this happened to you! EBT skimming is unfortunately becoming really common. I had my benefits stolen ($520) about 6 months ago and it took 3 weeks to get them replaced, even though they told me 10 business days too. A few things that might help while you wait: - Contact 211 (dial 2-1-1) for emergency food resources in your area - Check if your local food banks have mobile pantries - they often distribute more than the regular weekly boxes - Some churches and community centers do hot meals even if you're not a member For pushing your case along, try calling first thing in the morning (8 AM) when the phone lines open - you're more likely to reach someone. Also document every call you make (date, time, who you spoke to) in case you need to escalate later. Hang in there - you will get your benefits back, it's just taking way longer than it should. The system really fails people when they need help most.

I'm a social worker who helps families navigate CalFresh issues, and I want to reassure you that legitimate theft claims like yours do get approved. Since you reported it immediately, have clear fraudulent transactions at unfamiliar locations, and filed a police report, your case should be straightforward. A few additional tips while you wait: - Keep checking your EBT account online daily - the benefits often appear before you get any official notification - If you haven't already, ask your kids' school about weekend backpack programs or emergency meal assistance - Many churches and community centers offer free meals without requiring documentation - WIC offices sometimes have emergency food resources even if you don't qualify for WIC The 7-10 business day window is standard, but I've seen theft claims involving larger amounts (like yours at $1,025) sometimes take the full 10 days because they require additional supervisor approval. Your case sounds very legitimate though - hang in there, and don't hesitate to call your county office if you haven't heard anything by day 8.

I'm really sorry this happened to your family - having your EBT card stolen with kids to feed is one of the most stressful situations imaginable. I went through something similar about a year ago when thieves got $623 from our card. The good news is that I did get every penny back, and it took 8 business days. What helped me was staying organized with documentation and being proactive about getting help while waiting: - I printed out screenshots of all the fraudulent transactions showing they were at stores I'd never been to - I called my county worker every few days for updates (be polite but persistent) - I immediately contacted local food pantries through 211 - they were incredibly helpful and didn't ask too many questions Since you reported it within hours and the transactions were clearly not yours (different part of town), your case should be approved. The county workers I spoke with said they see these theft cases daily now, so they're well-versed in processing them. One thing that surprised me - when my benefits were restored, they actually appeared on my card a day BEFORE I got the official approval letter. So keep checking your balance online even if you haven't heard anything official yet. You're doing everything right, and your family WILL get through this. Focus on getting emergency food assistance for now, and try not to stress about the timeline - they will replace your benefits.

UPDATE: After trying for days to reach someone, I finally got through to Sacramento County using that Claimyr service someone mentioned above. It actually worked! I was connected to a fraud specialist who confirmed Sacramento IS part of the expedited program now. She said they can process theft claims in about 30 days instead of 90 if you have the transaction details and file a police report. She also recommended I download the ConnectEBT app to monitor transactions in real-time (I didn't even know this existed). Thanks everyone for your help and suggestions - I'll update again when/if I get my benefits restored.

This is such an important discussion - thank you for starting it! I'm a new CalFresh recipient (just approved last month) and had no idea this was such a widespread problem. Reading all these responses is both terrifying and incredibly helpful. I'm definitely going to download that ConnectEBT app and start checking my balance daily. Quick question - for those who've been through this, do you recommend using the chip reader even at smaller local stores that might not have updated equipment? My usual corner market still uses the old swipe-only readers and now I'm worried about shopping there. Also, should I be concerned about using my EBT at farmers markets? I love supporting local vendors but want to make sure I'm not putting myself at risk. Really hoping California gets those security updates implemented soon. It's awful that families are losing food assistance to criminals while waiting months for investigations.

This thread is so helpful! I just started receiving CalFresh benefits last month and had no idea there were so many backup ways to check your balance. I was getting really worried when the website wouldn't accept my login yesterday, but after reading everyone's suggestions I tried the ConnectEBT app and it worked right away. It's honestly pretty frustrating that such an important system has these issues so regularly - people depend on knowing their benefit balance to plan grocery trips and meals. I'm definitely saving all these alternative methods (phone number, ATM checks, text option) for future reference. Thank you to everyone who shared solutions instead of just complaining - this is exactly the kind of community support that makes dealing with government systems a little easier!

As someone who's been on CalFresh for about 6 months now, I can totally relate to that panic when the system doesn't work! This exact same thing happened to me around Christmas and I was convinced my benefits got cut off. Turns out it was just another one of their frequent technical glitches. What I've learned is to always have multiple backup methods ready: - Keep the EBT customer service number (877-328-9677) saved in your phone - Download the ConnectEBT app as a backup to the website - Remember you can check balances at most grocery store customer service counters - The text option (text your card number to 69906) is super convenient for quick checks It's honestly ridiculous that such a critical system for food security has these issues so regularly, but at least we can help each other navigate around the problems. The good news is that these are almost always temporary technical issues, not actual problems with your benefits. Glad to see the website is working again for most people!

This is such a helpful thread! I'm dealing with the same issue for my daughter (last name starts with E) - should have gotten her Summer EBT card by June 15th but nothing yet. After reading everyone's experiences, I'm pretty sure it's the address issue. I moved last year and updated everything with the school and BenefitsCal, but apparently that's not enough for Summer EBT. Going to try calling my county CalFresh office first thing Monday morning, and if that doesn't work, I'll check out Claimyr. Thanks especially to @Ben Cooper for the update - really gives me hope that this can get resolved! It's frustrating that we have to jump through so many hoops just to get benefits our kids qualify for, but at least now I know what steps to take.

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! My son's last name starts with C and we should have gotten his Summer EBT card by May 31st according to the schedule. It's so frustrating - I've been calling that 877-328-9677 number for days but can never get through. Reading through all these comments, it sounds like the address issue is super common this year. I'm definitely going to try my county CalFresh office first like @Rosie Harper suggested, and if that doesn't work I'll check out Claimyr. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - it's reassuring to know I'm not the only one dealing with this mess! Really hoping they fix these system issues for next year because this is ridiculous.