EBT Account Usage

The only deposits made to EBT accounts are by the Social Services Agency via CalSAWS or the Administrative Terminal. Clients CANNOT make deposits into their EBT account. If the client receives both cash and CalFresh benefits, the client will have two separate accounts; one for CalFresh and one for cash. Only one card is issued. Benefits from both accounts are accessed from the one card. Although one card accesses both accounts, clients must complete separate transactions to access cash and CalFresh benefits.

With an EBT account, the client does not receive a monthly statement. When a client does an EBT transaction, his/her account balance is printed on every receipt and is readily available to them. Cash and CalFresh benefits not used in the month issued remain available to the client; however, benefits are “expunged” if the account remains inactive after 365 days from the last transaction (or the last deposit if the account has never been accessed).

EBT Card Sleeve and Mailer

The EBT card sleeve contains the following information:

EBT Client website to find surcharge-free ATM locations,
Information regarding fraudulent use of CalFresh benefits and how to report suspected abuse, and
Warning language that EBT transactions may be monitored.

The EBT mailer has been revised to make it easier to read and contains the following information:

EBT Client website to find surcharge-free ATM locations, and
Warning language that EBT card trafficking is against the law.

EBT Card Scams

EBT clients continue to have their benefits stolen by EBT scams. The thieves are sending out blanket text messages, stating, for example, “Alert for EBT card beginning with 5077. Please call XXX XXX-XXXX.” The client calls the phone number and is told their EBT account is on hold until they provide their EBT card number and personal identification number (PIN). Or a live caller may contact a client stating they are from a government agency and request the client’s information. Similar scams by email have also been reported. After the client provides the EBT card number and PIN, the scammers can clone a card with the client’s information and are able to steal their benefits immediately.

Note: The scam text messages are sent out randomly and are not from a data breach, as CDSS has received reports from non-EBT clients who have also received this or a similar text message.

Some phone applications and social media websites have misleading messages that can have the appearance of being official, but they are questionable and solicit personal information. Refer to the EBT Client website under the item “How Do I Keep My EBT Card and Benefits Safe?” for a current list of the alerts. Remind clients not to give out their EBT card numbers and PINs and that the county, state, and federal government will NEVER ask them for their EBT card number and PIN by a text message, phone call, email, or on a website.

Please also remind clients to create unique PINs that only they should be able to remember. Using simple PINs, such as 0000 or 1234, makes their account more susceptible to breach.

Cell Phone Texting Features

EBT clients may use their cell phones to check their balances and to locate all ATMs, surcharge-free ATMs, restaurants, farmers’ markets, and stores that accept EBT. First, EBT clients will need to visit the EBT Client website to sign up and register their cell phone number.

After registering, here are some examples of what the client needs to enter in the text message:

Text BAL to 42265 for EBT food and/or cash balance.
Text ATM and your ZIP code to 42265 for nearby ATMs.
Text SFATM and your ZIP code to 42265 for nearby surcharge-free ATMs.
Text REST and your ZIP code to 42265 for restaurants that accept EBT cards.
Text FM and your ZIP code to 42265 to find farmers’ markets in the area.
Text STORE and your ZIP code to 42265 to locate stores that accept EBT cards.

BenefitsCal Mobile Application

The BenefitsCal mobile application is available to the public through Apple stores for iPhones and Google Play for Android systems. The application provides several functionalities including EBT information. Clients may view a detailed EBT transaction history and account balance via the BenefitsCal mobile application.

Surcharge-Free ATMs

A surcharge is a service fee that some banks charge each time cash benefits are withdrawn. Historically, EBT cardholders have conducted a high number of cash transactions where they incur surcharge fees. To reduce the amount of these fees, FIS, the EBT vendor, provides our EBT clients with statewide surcharge-free ATMs at Bank of America, and numerous other financial institutions including Bank of the West, Citibank, and Rabobank. EBT clients can be referred to the EBT Client website, to find surcharge-free ATM locations, farmers markets and other stores and locations that accept EBT.

Note: ATM machines do not have a selection for an EBT account. When withdrawing funds from an ATM, the client must select “checking account” and process the transaction as if the EBT funds were being withdrawn from a checking account. If the client selects any other option (i.e., savings account), the transaction will be denied and the client will NOT be able to withdraw cash from the ATM.

Transaction Fees

FIS, the EBT vendor, provides unlimited withdrawals and balance inquiries free of charge.

Transaction History Inquiries

Counties must make available to the EBT recipient or authorized representative all electronic benefit transaction history details available to the county within ten business days after a request has been received, at no additional cost to the EBT recipient. No formal request process is needed but requests should be documented in CalSAWS on the Journal Detail page.

Direct Deposit versus EBT Account

Clients may choose to have their cash benefits directly deposited into a bank of their choice instead of using EBT. With direct deposit, each month the county initiates an electronic funds transfer from the county’s bank to the individual bank account of each participating client. Clients who choose direct deposit must maintain a personal bank account for benefits to be directly deposited. Once the money is deposited in the client’s account, the client has all the protection and responsibility that applies to commercial banking customers. Clients who do not participate in direct deposit must receive their cash benefits via EBT unless they qualify for an exemption.

Reminder: Direct deposit must always be explored as an alternative to EBT cash exemption.