Food Stamp Sting

[PennyQuilts]

http://newsok.com/22-oklahoma-city-a...rticle/3504633

Kudos to the agencies involved that worked to sting these thieves. I hope they throw the book at them but they probably won't. I wish they would go after the welfare cheaters, too. But they probably won't.

Amazing that they found 22 places doing this sort of nonsense. Just goes to show how widespread it is. Estimates are that welfare fraud is 3 - 6% but I suspect that is way too low. And that is not even taking into account people making "legal" lifestyle choices to qualify for food stamps (not working or not married to the father of the kids). Those people are perfectly eligible and not subject to any legal recourse. I personally know many people who deliberately don't marry in order to qualify even though the mother is living with the father of their kids - some for decades. Perfectly legal. Work the system, baby!

[Midtowner]

Unfortunately, this doesn't scratch the surface. I wish the state would pay bounties to private parties who turned others in for welfare fraud.

[okclee]

I wish we could stop the use of food stamps at convenience stores. I don't like seeing people using their food stamp cards at places like 7-11 or gas stations buying their groceries paying double for a loaf of bread and milk. That is taxpayer money being wasted.

[kevinpate]

Not sure which is the dumber play ...
(a) idgits thinking they can pull off this type of activity long term, or
(b) collecting their ill gotten gains on camera.

Oh well, if perps were smart, the criminal defense bar would be way smaller than it is

[old okie]

Unfortunately, this doesn't scratch the surface. I wish the state would pay bounties to private parties who turned others in for welfare fraud.

Great idea!

[PennyQuilts]

Unfortunately, this doesn't scratch the surface. I wish the state would pay bounties to private parties who turned others in for welfare fraud.

EXCELLENT idea.

[ljbab728]

I wish we could stop the use of food stamps at convenience stores. I don't like seeing people using their food stamp cards at places like 7-11 or gas stations buying their groceries paying double for a loaf of bread and milk. That is taxpayer money being wasted.

It appears to me that is more a case of the recipient wasting money instead of the state. Just because they're overpaying for something doesn't mean the state is losing or wasting money. The recipients don't get extra from the state to replace money wasted. By your way of thinking the food stamp users would be required to canvas every store in OKC for price before buying any item. I don't argue that it's not stupid but you can't police what amount someone pays. Perhaps a better education program would be more useful. When someone is approved for food stamps they have to watch a short educational film and I don't believe that issue is addressed at all.

[Prunepicker]

http://newsok.com/22-oklahoma-city-area-stores-raided-in-
food-stamp-fraud-investigation/article/3504633

Kudos to the agencies involved that worked to sting these
thieves. I hope they throw the book at them but they probably
won't. I wish they would go after the welfare cheaters, too.
But they probably won't.

It's rampant in medicare, too. Prunette had a great aunt that
was in a nursing home. She checked her aunt's bill every
month and there would be charges, several hundred dollars,
every month of services she wasn't receiving. The response
was always, "it's okay, medicare will pay for it." Prunette would
say, "look, my aunt isn't receiving any of this!" Still the same
response was given. There was a wheel chair, food supplements,
doctor visits, special medical devices, and not a single one of
them were ever dispensed to her and she was only one of many
who were having the same problem but didn't have the bulldog
to hang on and do something about it. Prunette finally got to
the top and the nursing home was finally closed.

Here's a strange, medicare would be contacted and told time
after time about this fraud and their response was always,
"it's too late, medicare has already paid for it." Talk about crap!

[BBatesokc]

I prefer they come up with a clear food classification system and only allow certain types of food to be purchased with food stamps - meat, eggs, milk, grains... yes. Soda pop, candy bars and donuts..... No!

[MartzMimic]

@PennyQuilts
Let's give you a chance to put your money where your mouth is.

OKDHS' Office of Inspector General are the ones who investigated the food stamp fraud, and they'll be more than happy to talk to you about anyone who's given false information about the household composition to receive Temporary Aid to Needy Families (TANF). You can call (405) 522-5880.

[PennyQuilts]

@PennyQuilts
Let's give you a chance to put your money where your mouth is.

OKDHS' Office of Inspector General are the ones who investigated the food stamp fraud, and they'll be more than happy to talk to you about anyone who's given false information about the household composition to receive Temporary Aid to Needy Families (TANF). You can call (405) 522-5880.

Don't be a snot. The few times that I have reported things to food stamp fraud and Section 8 housing have been utterly ignored by tired, worn out, overworked government workers who have reacted with irritation because they don't have time for small time crap. Not a word of a lie, buddy.

[PennyQuilts]

It appears to me that is more a case of the recipient wasting money instead of the state. Just because they're overpaying for something doesn't mean the state is losing or wasting money. The recipients don't get extra from the state to replace money wasted. By your way of thinking the food stamp users would be required to canvas every store in OKC for price before buying any item. I don't argue that it's not stupid but you can't police what amount someone pays. Perhaps a better education program would be more useful. When someone is approved for food stamps they have to watch a short educational film and I don't believe that issue is addressed at all.

Back in the days when I was a checker at a grocery store, I was amazed at what went into the carts of people buying with foodstamps. It was complete crap -0 no fresh vegetables or fruit. Chips, soft drinks, processed cookies, candy bars. There was a distinct difference compared to most people. I was young and idealistic and I think this was my first hint that not everyone feeds their children decently. All the other checkers just shook their heads over it. I still see it going on, these days, but it is not so obvious as it once was because a lot of people paying cash money are buying the same kind of crap.

[PennyQuilts]

It's rampant in medicare, too. Prunette had a great aunt that
was in a nursing home. She checked her aunt's bill every
month and there would be charges, several hundred dollars,
every month of services she wasn't receiving. The response
was always, "it's okay, medicare will pay for it." Prunette would
say, "look, my aunt isn't receiving any of this!" Still the same
response was given. There was a wheel chair, food supplements,
doctor visits, special medical devices, and not a single one of
them were ever dispensed to her and she was only one of many
who were having the same problem but didn't have the bulldog
to hang on and do something about it. Prunette finally got to
the top and the nursing home was finally closed.

Here's a strange, medicare would be contacted and told time
after time about this fraud and their response was always,
"it's too late, medicare has already paid for it." Talk about crap!

It was the same way with my mom when she was dying of cancer. Bless 'em, hospice kept bringing out furniture and offering so many drugs (they would often come in kits and most of them weren't applicable to her). I would tell them she didn't need the stuff but it just kept coming and when she died, I tried to bring them back but they said to throw the stuff away (the furniture except the bed) and the drugs got flushed.

[PennyQuilts]

I prefer they come up with a clear food classification system and only allow certain types of food to be purchased with food stamps - meat, eggs, milk, grains... yes. Soda pop, candy bars and donuts..... No!

I think so, too. With obesity, including childhood obesity, so prevalent, buying crap for kids isn't helping them. In fact, it is making them unhealthy. If they are going to pay for food, pay for FOOD.

[MartzMimic]

@PennyQuilts
I do apologize for coming off as I did, and ask your forgiveness.

[MartzMimic]

A little food for thought...

Food stamp fraud has dramatically decreased since Oklahoma went to an electronic benefit card system as opposed to the paper stamps. The state monitors where benefits are being used, which helps us highlight suspicious activity, like a convenience store with $1.8 million in food stamp transactions.

Another thing to note is that cash benefits - TANF, Aid to the Disabled, State Supplemental Payments and such - are also accessed by card, so not everyone you see is using it solely for food stamps. Again, this allows better monitoring for fraud. Oklahoma has been tops in the region for four years straight in administering food stamp benefits, something no other state has done. http://www.okdhs.org/library/news/re...sc08112010.htm

As far as limiting what things can be purchased, I think there would be widespread support for that in the public and with those who administer the programs. However, since most of these are federal programs, states are required to follow their regulations. I would hope the Feds would re-think this, but it's probably not realistic to expect this with the current administration.

[okclee]

^^ Thanks for the insight.

[bretthexum]

I prefer they come up with a clear food classification system and only allow certain types of food to be purchased with food stamps - meat, eggs, milk, grains... yes. Soda pop, candy bars and donuts..... No!

That would be nice in theory - but now you have convenience and grocery clerks doubling as enforcement police. It's not alcohol and/or cigs that are illegal by age. What - are you going to fine a grocery clerk or selling unauthorized goods to a food stamp recipient?

[Easy180]

Not to mention it would slow up the lines even more for us waitin behind them while they pick thru the items

[PennyQuilts]

That would be nice in theory - but now you have convenience and grocery clerks doubling as enforcement police. It's not alcohol and/or cigs that are illegal by age. What - are you going to fine a grocery clerk or selling unauthorized goods to a food stamp recipient?

Fresh, canned or frozen fruit; fresh, canned or frozen meat/seafood;, fresh, canned or frozen vegetables; dairy; basic bread (no twinkies or cookies); rice, beans. That really isn't that hard. If they can recognize grocery items from drug items (as we used to do when I was a checker, and rung them up, accordingly), I am not sure why it would hard for a clerk to recognize basic, unprocessed food as opposed to cheetoes. It is a little like porn - we all know crappy, processed food when we see it (chips, cookies, candy bars, canned salsa).

Not everything comes down to prosecuting a clerk. They could treat it exactly the same way they do selling prohibited items, right now. It is just a question of changing the rules. No one is worrying that a clerk is going to be prosecuted for accidently selling a box of spark plugs and this is really no different. If they make the permitted list SHORT, I imagine the clerks wouldn't have much of a problem. And the SHORT list is better for the recipients and kids, anyway. Hell, they could use the WIC guidelines.

If they can tell us we can't smoke in public and talk about prohibiting restaurants from using certain unhealthy food, I don't see why we would even consider subsidizing processed, high fat, empty calorie food for children. That is utterly insane on its face. To say that it is too hard to train clerks to see the difference so we should just give kids expensive garbage that is bad for them and eats up their grocery money makes no sense. Changing the food stamp rules is a quick, sensible way to extend a food stamp budget and make sure the kids get what it was intended to be. It might not be perfect but it couldn't help but be better than what they use food stamps for, now. And if you think I am making something up, I challenge you to go to a large grocery store and watch what food stamp people buy. And if the paying customers are buying junk, too, so what? That is their money. If my kids don't get cheetoes because it is expensive and bad for them, why do the welfare kids get it on a regular basis? And yes, they should educate welfare recipients about basic good nutrition and give them some basic recipes. If they aren't already, they should do that, regardless.

This post isn't about fraud, this is about changing the rules to provide better care for the kids.

[PennyQuilts]

@PennyQuilts
I do apologize for coming off as I did, and ask your forgiveness.

Oh, no problem. Thanks.

[Prunepicker]

I prefer they come up with a clear food classification system and
only allow certain types of food to be purchased with food stamps
- meat, eggs, milk, grains... yes. Soda pop, candy bars and
donuts... No!

Commodities is the was to go. No food stamps or welfare credit
card. They can go to the place once a week and get their food.

[kevinpate]

In another lifetime, or so it seems now, we worked as houseparents in a temporary youth shelter.
Commodities were a way of life. Never understood the aversion myself. Canned pork and some
fixins' made for sloppy joes, amongst other meals. And, let's face it, except for the time spent on it,
rice is pretty much rice until you dress it up for a party. Fortunately, it cleans up well.

[lovokc]

On a soft note... Are you willing to transport everyone to a store that meets your standards? 7-11 is not any higher than shopping at Homeland. As someone who works in ministry you cannot judge these circumstances. Everybodys story is different. What needs to be investigated are the food stamp recipients that have to have their cards replaced monthly. They very likely are the ones who are selling food stamps for cash ; drugs ect....

[Prunepicker]

On a soft note... Are you willing to transport everyone to a store
that meets your standards?

That's cute.

No, they get to be responsible for themselves whether they
like it or not.