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YES! This is exactly what happens to me too! I'm day 5 and it's always loaded super early in the morning. I think they must run some overnight batch process to load all the benefits.
Thanks everyone for the info! I just wanted to update that my benefits did indeed hit my card this morning (Oct 2nd) with the new increased amount. You were all right about the schedule. I appreciate all the helpful responses - this community is amazing!
did u get a notice about recertification or SAR7 recently? sometimes they cut off benefits if u miss those deadlines and dont even tell u till after
While you're waiting for the replacement benefits, check with local food banks! 211.org can tell you where emergency food assistance is available in your area. Also ask the county worker about emergency expedited benefits - sometimes they can issue a small emergency allotment on a temporary card while investigating theft claims.
fyi my neighbor works for the school district and she said if u got p-ebt before u should get the new one at the same card they dont send new ones unless u never had one before
That's partially correct. If you received P-EBT 2.0 benefits, the P-EBT 3.0 benefits will be loaded onto the same card. However, families who only received P-EBT 1.0 (from the 2019-2020 school year) will receive a new card for P-EBT 3.0. It's always good to keep your previous P-EBT cards just in case.
Just to add some important information: If your benefits are stolen, California now has an expedited replacement process for households with seniors or children. Ask specifically for "EBT Theft Emergency Replacement" when you call. They're required to process these claims within 3 business days instead of the standard 10 days. This is part of the 2025 CalFresh Anti-Fraud Protection Act that went into effect in January. Also, always check that the card reader doesn't have a loose plastic piece over the actual slot. That's the most common type of skimmer. Give it a gentle tug before inserting your card.
I did the 'emergency replacement' thing and they STILL took almost 2 weeks! Is there any way to escalate when they miss their own deadlines? My kids were hungry and I had to borrow money from my sister.
Update: I just came from my local DPSS office and they have a new sign saying they CANNOT process more than 2 benefit theft claims per household per year now! When did this rule change??? The worker said there's been so much fraud that they had to put limits in place. I'm terrified of using my card anywhere now.
That's the new state policy as of March 2025, but there's an exception process for verified theft cases. If you can provide a police report that confirms the theft (not just reporting it, but where police verify fraud took place), they have to process additional claims. It's an extra step but important to know.
Paolo Romano
For real tho! Government always take they time when its OUR money but want us to report every penny we make right away or they call it fraud 🙄
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StarGazer101
UPDATE: Finally got through to someone at the county office today! Used both the Claimyr service someone recommended here (which actually worked!) and mentioned AB-158 like another person suggested. The supervisor I spoke with said my case was \
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