EBT And Notices · Checklist · Reviewed July 12, 2026

EBT card, stolen benefits, and notice check

A first-step check for a missing EBT card, unfamiliar transactions, stolen benefits, or a county benefit notice.

Why it matters

Stopping the card and asking for benefit replacement are different steps. A county Notice of Action and a service complaint also use different response paths.

Official first stop

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First moves

1
If the EBT card is missing or transactions are unfamiliar, call EBT Customer Service at 877-328-9677 right away. Ask to stop the card and order a replacement.
2
Change the PIN and review recent transactions through the official ebtEDGE or EBT account path. Save screenshots or a written transaction list.
3
Write down when the card was last used, when the theft was discovered, each unfamiliar transaction, the amount, location, and report number.
4
To request replacement for electronic theft, file the EBT 2259 report through BenefitsCal or the county. CDSS says it must be filed within 90 calendar days from the theft date.
5
Keep the filing confirmation. Replacing the plastic card does not by itself request replacement of stolen food or cash benefits.
6
For a county Notice of Action, mark the notice date, action date, program, reason, and hearing instructions. Keep the envelope too.
7
A state hearing request generally has a 90-day clock after the county gives or mails the notice. Follow the notice if you want to ask before the action takes effect.
8
Use the county complaint path for service or administration problems. Use the hearing path when you disagree with the benefit decision.

Watch for

1
Never share an EBT PIN, password, card number, login code, or one-time code with someone who contacts you first.
2
Food-benefit and cash-benefit replacement rules differ. Some supplemental food benefits are not eligible for replacement.
3
CDSS limits replacement for certain cash-benefit scams. The facts and prior replacements can matter.
4
Not every loss or purchase dispute fits electronic-theft replacement. File the report and let the official process decide.
5
A new card does not restore stolen benefits automatically. The EBT 2259 replacement request is a separate step.
6
A complaint does not preserve a hearing deadline. An upload receipt does not show that the county accepted the claim.
7
If benefits continue while a hearing is pending, the notice explains the terms. An unfavorable result can create repayment questions.

Directory paths

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Use the nearby shelf when this is the right lane, or jump back to the full directory if the task changed names.

ShelfStart hereFind the right public office for everyday paperwork.DirectoryPaperwork & MoneyReturn to the full tools shelf.Nearby toolFood, health coverage, and household helpChoose a first path for food, health coverage, cash aid, care at home, EBT trouble, or a utility shutoff.Nearby toolFood help, CalFresh, and WIC checkA first-step check when food is needed now or you are applying for CalFresh or WIC.A-ZFind another California pathUse the directory index when the task has a different name.

EBT card, stolen benefits, and notice check

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