I'm sorry you're going through this - the phone system issues are absolutely maddening! I went through the same nightmare last year and here's what finally worked for me: I contacted my local Legal Aid office and they had a direct contact at the county CalFresh office who could schedule phone interviews outside normal hours. Many Legal Aid organizations have these special relationships with county offices specifically for situations like yours where work schedules conflict with office hours. Also, if you're comfortable sharing which part of Alameda County you're in, some community centers and food banks have CalFresh navigators who can actually make three-way calls with you and the county office. The food bank in my area had someone who could get through to caseworkers way faster than I ever could on my own. One more thing - if your recertification gets delayed because of their phone system failures, make sure to document everything and request "good cause" when you do finally connect. They're supposed to backdate your benefits if the delay was due to their technical issues, not your lack of trying. Don't let them penalize you for problems that are completely out of your control!

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this frustrating situation! The phone system problems are unfortunately widespread right now. Based on what others have shared, I'd recommend trying multiple approaches at once: 1. Try calling using Google Voice or a different phone/carrier as some people mentioned - the connection issues might be carrier-specific 2. Call right at opening time (7:59am if they open at 8am) on a Wednesday 3. Contact your Assembly member's office - they have caseworkers who can get through to CalFresh supervisors directly 4. Email [email protected] and mention the Flexible Interview Pilot Program for your work schedule conflicts 5. Look into Legal Aid in the Oakland area - they often have direct contacts for after-hours interviews The fact that you're working two jobs and trying so hard to complete your recertification shows you're doing everything right. Don't let their broken system discourage you - there are people and organizations specifically set up to help navigate these exact problems. Keep documenting your attempts and don't give up! Your kids need those benefits and you deserve to get the help you're entitled to without jumping through impossible hoops.

This thread really hits home for me - I just joined this community after my own EBT benefits got stolen last week. Lost $380 that was supposed to last my family the whole month, and like everyone else here, I'm getting the runaround from the county office. What's really eye-opening is reading about how widespread this problem is. I thought I was just unlucky, but it sounds like this is happening to people constantly! The fact that we have "once in a lifetime" reimbursement for something that's clearly a systemic security failure is absolutely ridiculous. I'm definitely going to try some of the protection tips mentioned here - especially only using my card at major grocery stores with cashiers and checking for loose card readers. But honestly, we shouldn't have to become security experts just to keep our food benefits safe. Count me in for any coordinated effort to contact representatives about this. Reading about AB-453 gives me some hope, but we clearly need to put more pressure on politicians to actually prioritize this issue. When families are going hungry because of preventable theft, that should be an emergency, not something to study for years while doing nothing. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences - it's awful that so many of us are dealing with this, but at least we're not alone.

I'm new to this community but unfortunately not new to this problem - my EBT card got skimmed at a corner store last month and I lost $425 in benefits. Reading through all these stories is both validating and heartbreaking. It's clear this isn't just bad luck affecting a few people, it's a massive systemic failure that's leaving families without food. What really struck me is learning about the "once in a lifetime" reimbursement policy. How is that even legal when the theft is happening because of the government's own outdated security system? It's like if your apartment landlord refused to fix broken locks and then told you "tough luck" when you got robbed twice. I'm definitely interested in joining any coordinated effort to push for AB-453 or other solutions. The idea of all of us contacting representatives during the same week sounds smart - maybe we could also share template letters or talking points to make it easier for people to participate? In the meantime, I've started following the safety tips mentioned here. I'm also going to look into that Claimyr service someone mentioned because I've been trying to reach my county office for weeks with no luck. It's ridiculous that we need a third-party service just to talk to the people who are supposed to help us, but here we are. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and advice. At least we know we're not fighting this alone.

UPDATE: Thank you everyone for your help! I went to my county office this morning and got my EBT card. There was a bit of a line but once I got to the window, it only took about 10 minutes. They said my card had been mailed out but probably got lost. The benefits were already loaded and I set up my PIN right there. So relieved I went before the holiday closure!

So glad you got your card! This is exactly why I always recommend going in person when there are delays. The mail system for EBT cards seems to have issues pretty frequently. Thanks for updating us - it's really helpful for others who might be in the same situation to know that going to the office works and doesn't take too long once you get to the window.

Just want to add that if anyone is still struggling with getting through to customer service, try calling the EBT hotline early in the morning (like 8am) or late afternoon after 4pm - those tend to be less busy times. Also, if you have to visit your county office in person, many locations now allow you to schedule appointments online which saves hours of waiting. Check your county's website for their online scheduling system. I learned this the hard way after waiting 3 hours at the office only to be told I could have made an appointment! The whole EBT fraud prevention thing is definitely a necessary evil given how bad the skimming has gotten, but they really need to work on their communication with clients.

This thread has been so helpful! I'm relatively new to CalFresh and had no idea about any of these issues or solutions. A few months ago I would have panicked if my card suddenly stopped working, but now I know about the mobile payment option and the fraud prevention system. It's reassuring to know there are workarounds while waiting for replacement cards. One thing I'm curious about - does anyone know if the new chip-enabled cards will completely eliminate the skimming problem, or will scammers just find new ways around it? Also wondering if the mobile payment option will become the primary way to use benefits in the future, kind of like how everything else is going digital these days.

Just wanted to follow up - were you able to resolve your PIN issue? If you're still waiting, I recommend contacting your local food bank as well. They can often provide emergency food assistance while you wait for your CalFresh benefits to become usable.

That's amazing news @Zara Shah! So glad you were able to get your emergency PIN and feed your family. Your experience will definitely help other parents in similar situations. It's frustrating that the system makes it so hard to access benefits when people are in urgent need, but at least there are workarounds like the Claimyr service and emergency PIN options that more people should know about. Thanks for updating us on how it worked out!