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Identifying small-scale fraud with foodstamps
Food stamps are maybe the best-functioning part of the social safety net in both Illinois and the country. Is there any real reason to mess with them? Now an Illinois House committee has approved a bill requiring that all Illinois Link cards, the debit-like card used by food stamp recipients, have a photo ID. Hannah Hess of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that not only must the full Illinois state legislature and governor approve the measure, but the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, which funds food stamps, must also sign off. Supporting lawmakers contend the photo IDs will stop those who use a link card other than their own. However, there is little evidence food stamp fraud is a widespread problem, or that it has been costing the government a significant amount of money.
useless idea card holders can purchase food for others and recieve cash for groceries. only way to slow the tide would be to
1. put suspected violaters into a wic like program where only certain items could be purchaced.
2.investigate unusual activity. constantly lost cards. big purchases once or twice per month. with electronic information the way it is it would be very easy to set a system that would pull up purchase histories. and allow case workers to visit a home in question to see what food is present to what was purchased. sorry to say i’ve seen the misuse of foodstamps alot. the only people it hurts is the children
if you need proof like I said start a tracking system that records the purchases of individuals like a credit card would. its not hard to find a mother of 4 who buys lobster and steaks a couple times a month and the one who is buying enough food to get through the month. the people selling these food stamps for cash need to be prosecuted for child abuse neglect and anything else you can come up with.
comment at 23. June 2011