This is such an important thread! I just started receiving CalFresh benefits about a month ago and had absolutely no idea these scams were targeting our community. Reading through everyone's experiences has been both incredibly helpful and honestly pretty frightening. The fact that scammers are timing these texts right when benefits get loaded is just evil - they're literally studying when we're most vulnerable to panic about our accounts. I've immediately saved the real EBT customer service number (1-877-328-9677) in my phone and I'm definitely going to download that official EBT app that was mentioned to set up legitimate alerts. It's disgusting that criminals would prey on families who are already struggling just to put food on the table, but I'm so grateful for this community that looks out for each other. The information about how difficult it is to recover stolen benefits really drives home why prevention is everything. I'm going to share this warning with my roommate who also receives benefits and my elderly neighbor who just got approved - she's not very tech-savvy and might not realize these texts are fake. Thank you Mei for taking the time to warn everyone, and thank you to everyone else who shared their stories and resources. This kind of community support could literally save someone's grocery money for the entire month!

This is such crucial information - thank you for sharing! I'm pretty new to CalFresh (just got approved about 6 weeks ago) and honestly had no idea these scams were so common and specifically targeting our community. Reading through everyone's experiences has been both incredibly helpful and really alarming. The fact that these scammers are timing their attacks right when benefits get loaded shows just how calculated and predatory they are. I've immediately saved the official EBT customer service number (1-877-328-9677) in my phone and I'm going to download that official EBT app to set up legitimate notifications. It's absolutely disgusting that criminals would prey on families who are already struggling to put food on the table, but I'm so grateful we have this community looking out for each other. The information about how difficult it is to recover stolen benefits really emphasizes why we need to be extra vigilant. I'm definitely going to share this thread with my family members who also receive benefits - we need to stick together and protect each other from these predators. Thank you again for taking the time to warn everyone!

This thread has been absolutely incredible to read as someone who just joined this community! I'm new to CalFresh (just got approved last month) and honestly had no idea that same-day EBT card replacement was even a possibility - like so many others here, I always assumed you'd be stuck waiting weeks for everything to go through the mail system. @Luca Romano, I'm so glad you were able to get your card replaced and feed your family! The panic you must have felt with three kids depending on those benefits is something I can't even imagine. Your follow-up with the specific details about arriving at 7:30am and still waiting 2 hours really helps set realistic expectations for anyone else who might need emergency replacement. @Carmen Lopez, thank you so much for sharing your professional expertise as a benefits counselor! The information about emergency replacement forms, the fee structure, and especially the authorization letter option for people who can't physically get to the office themselves is exactly the kind of insider knowledge that can be life-saving during a crisis. What really stands out to me is how this thread shows both the frustrating realities of the system (broken card printers, budget cuts, inconsistent worker knowledge) and the amazing power of community support to help navigate those challenges. The way everyone jumped in with such detailed, practical advice demonstrates what an invaluable resource this community is. I'm definitely bookmarking this thread - hopefully I'll never need emergency EBT replacement, but knowing these options exist and having access to this kind of peer support gives me so much confidence as I navigate the CalFresh system. Thank you all for creating such a genuinely helpful and supportive space!

This thread is exactly why I'm so grateful to have found this community! I just joined after getting approved for CalFresh a few weeks ago, and like so many others here, I had absolutely no idea that same-day EBT card replacement was even an option. I always assumed you'd be stuck waiting for weeks through the mail system. @Luca Romano, I'm so relieved you were able to get your card replaced and take care of your kids! The stress of that situation with three children depending on those benefits must have been absolutely overwhelming. Your detailed follow-up about the process - especially the tip about arriving at 7:30am for an 8am opening and still having to wait 2 hours - is incredibly valuable information that will definitely help other families who might face similar emergencies. @Carmen Lopez, thank you so much for sharing your professional expertise! The information about emergency replacement forms, the fee structure, and especially the authorization letter option for people who can't physically get to the office is exactly the kind of insider knowledge that can be life-changing during a crisis situation. What really strikes me about this thread is how it highlights both the frustrating challenges with the system (broken card printers, budget cuts affecting service days, inconsistent information from different workers) while also showing the incredible power of community support to help navigate those obstacles. The way everyone jumped in with such practical, detailed advice really demonstrates what an amazing resource this community provides. I'm definitely saving this thread - hopefully I'll never need emergency EBT replacement myself, but knowing these options exist and having access to this kind of peer support gives me so much confidence as I navigate the CalFresh system for the first time. Thank you all for creating such a genuinely helpful space where people can get real solutions when they need them most!

This is such an important thread - I'm seeing similar delays across multiple counties right now and it's really concerning how widespread this has become. As someone who helps families navigate benefits applications, I want to add a few things that might help: 1. If you're in LA County specifically, there's also a CalFresh hotline at (877) 847-3663 that sometimes gets you to different staff than the main line. Worth trying if you keep getting stuck in the automated system. 2. When you do get through to someone, ask them to read back exactly what documents they show as received in their system. Sometimes there are discrepancies between what BenefitsCal shows and what the worker can see on their end. 3. For anyone approaching day 30, you can also file a complaint with the California Department of Social Services if your county isn't meeting federal deadlines. It's form DSS 8572 and while it won't speed up your current case, it creates a paper trail. The fact that so many families are having to become advocates and legal experts just to get basic food assistance is absolutely unacceptable. But I'm grateful for communities like this where people share what actually works. @Sienna Gomez - really hoping you got good news today! Your documentation of this whole process is going to help so many other families who find themselves in similar situations.

I'm so sorry you're going through this - 28 days is way too long for any family to wait for food assistance, especially with kids involved. Unfortunately, what you're experiencing has become increasingly common due to severe understaffing at county offices. Since you're approaching the critical 30-day federal deadline, here are some immediate steps that have worked for others in similar situations: 1. Call first thing in the morning and specifically mention "My application has been pending for 28 days and I'm approaching the 30-day federal processing deadline" - don't just ask about status 2. Request to speak with a supervisor if the first person can't help 3. Ask them to confirm they can see all your submitted documents in their system while you're on the call The good news is that CalFresh benefits are backdated to your application date, so you'll receive a larger initial payment covering the entire waiting period when approved. Many people in similar situations have received $400-600+ in their first deposit. Also consider contacting your county's CalFresh ombudsperson - every county has one and cases flagged by them get immediate priority. You can also look into local food banks and your kids' school weekend food programs while waiting. Document every interaction and keep pushing - you're doing everything right. The system is failing you, not the other way around. Really hoping you get approval soon!

As someone who just went through this exact situation last tax season, I can definitely confirm what everyone else is saying - CalFresh benefits are absolutely NOT taxable and you don't need to report them anywhere on your tax return! I was in the same boat as you, worried about making a mistake and potentially owing money I didn't have. What really helped me was understanding that CalFresh falls under the category of "means-tested welfare benefits" which the IRS specifically excludes from taxable income. The key thing is that it's designed to help with basic nutritional needs, not as income replacement like unemployment benefits would be. I also want to mention that if you're using tax software like H&R Block or TurboTax, they actually have built-in questions about government benefits that will walk you through what's taxable vs. what's not. When I selected CalFresh/SNAP benefits, the software automatically categorized it as non-taxable and didn't include it in any income calculations. You can definitely breathe easy on this one - your $4,890 in CalFresh stays completely off your tax forms, and you won't get any tax documents for it either since it's not considered reportable income. Hope this helps calm your nerves about tax season!

I'm a newcomer to CalFresh and this thread has been incredibly reassuring! I was just about to start stressing about tax season when I saw this question. Reading through all the responses from tax professionals, long-term recipients, and people who've called the IRS directly has completely put my mind at ease. What I found most helpful was learning that CalFresh is classified as "nutritional assistance" rather than income - that distinction makes perfect sense and helps me understand why it's treated so differently from other government benefits like unemployment. I also appreciate the tip about tax software automatically categorizing these benefits correctly, since I was planning to do my own taxes this year. Thank you to everyone who shared their knowledge and experiences here - this is exactly the kind of community support that makes navigating these systems so much easier for newcomers like me!

This thread is absolutely fantastic! As someone who's about to apply for CalFresh benefits, I'm so glad I stumbled across this discussion. Reading through everyone's experiences has made me realize how many potential pitfalls there are that I never would have known about otherwise. The fact that card activation isn't clearly explained when you receive your EBT card is honestly mind-blowing - it seems like such basic information that should be impossible to miss! But thanks to everyone sharing their stories here, I now know exactly what to expect and how to handle the activation process when my card arrives. I'm definitely saving all these incredible tips: calling during off-peak hours, having all my information ready, using my registered phone number, ensuring good cell service, downloading the ebtEDGE app, keeping receipts religiously, and testing the card soon after activation. The community knowledge here is absolutely priceless and way more useful than any official documentation I've seen. It's really encouraging to see how supportive everyone is and how willing people are to share their hard-earned wisdom. This kind of peer support makes navigating these complex systems so much less intimidating for newcomers like me. Thank you to everyone who contributed to this amazing resource!

This thread has been incredibly educational! As someone who's completely new to the CalFresh system, I had no idea that card activation was even a thing - I definitely would have assumed it would work right out of the box like a regular debit card. Reading through everyone's experiences has been both eye-opening and really helpful for setting proper expectations. What strikes me most is how this seems to be such a universal experience - almost everyone encountered the same activation confusion, which really suggests this is a communication problem that could easily be fixed on the agency side. It's frustrating that people have to struggle through this when a simple "ACTIVATE FIRST" sticker on the card or clearer instructions could prevent so much stress. I'm taking notes on all the fantastic tips shared here: off-peak calling times, having info ready, using registered phone numbers, good cell service, the ebtEDGE app, keeping receipts, and testing the card quickly after activation. This community knowledge is absolutely invaluable - way more practical than anything I've seen in official materials. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences and solutions. It's really heartening to see how supportive this community is for helping people navigate these complex systems. I'll definitely be referring back to this thread when I go through the process myself!