The California Department of Social Services has issued instructions regarding replacement of electronic benefits transfers (EBT) stolen by skimming or scams. Skimming is using electronic equipment to capture the recipients’ EBT card and create a counterfeit card. Scams involve deceiving or misleading a recipient to provide their account information and then using that information to create a counterfeit card.
Claims for electronic theft are made using the EBT 2259 form. Recipients can contact either the EBT Customer Service Helpline or the county welfare department.
In addition to the EBT 2259 form, recipients are required to file a police report unless there is good cause. The police report number is required on the EBT 2259 form but a copy of the report is not required. Good cause for not filing a police report includes that the police department does not accept reports of identity theft or financial fraud, the police department does not provide interpreter services for non-English speakers, there is a fee to file the police report, the police department does not provide disability accommodations, the recipient does not have transportation, and submitting a report in person would interfere with participation in welfare-to-work activities.
Counties review the EBT 2259 form and determine if it is complete and whether the allegations are consistent with typical scamming practices. If the claim does not allege typical scamming practices it is considered for further review. In addition, counties must verify that benefits for the recipient have not been restored because of scamming in the last 36 months.
Recipients must file an electronic theft claim within 90 days.
Counties have 10 days to issue repayment unless there is a fraud investigation or over $2,000 is involved. The reimbursement is not counted as income or property in the month received or the next month. (ACL 18-148, December 31, 2018.)
Update: People reporting electronic theft no longer need to contact the electronic benefits transfer vendor prior to submitting the form EBT 2259 to the county. People reporting electronic theft must contact the county within 10 days of the loss, and file the EBT 2259 form with the county within 90 days of the loss. People no longer are required to file a police report to submit the form EBT 2259 and get replacement benefits. (ACL 23-13, January 27, 2023.)