Louisiana Suspends EBT Cards for Food Stamp Cheats

Louisiana Suspends EBT Cards for Food Stamp Cheats ...........

It looks like many of those "binge spenders" who went nuts a few weeks ago when the food stamp system went down are getting an example of "due process".

Most of this "temptation" was fueled when stores like Walmart "allowed" people to somehow use the EBT cards even with the bank system down.

One allegation is a person with a 49 cent balance was allowed to charge $700 on the card !!

So who's "fault" is it ?

Maybe people actually thought they "got a raise" in benefits ?

The Advocate reports that the Louisiana governor Bobby Jindal's office will cancel food stamp benefits for anyone who participated in a fraud and shopping spree catalyzed by an EBT malfunction.

More than 12,000 people were sent an insufficient funds notice when the problem with the EBT cards was fixed on Oct. 12; those who transgressed may lose their EBT cards for a year.

Suzy Sonnier, the secretary of state at the Department of Children and Family Services, released a statement saying: "We must protect the program for those who receive and use their benefits appropriately according to the law. We are looking at each case individually, addressing those recipients who are suspected of misrepresenting their eligibility for benefits or defrauding the system."

Louisiana Suspends EBT Cards for Food Stamp Cheats

Banks cheat the system crash the economy, not so much as a whisper of legal action.


Poor do it, NO FOOD FOR A YEAR!!!

xuenchen
So who's "fault" is it ?

What are your thoughts on that?

I'm disabled and have a bridge card I would have never participated in something like that. I was hoping someone would nail their ass to the wall for doing that. They got what they deserve.

wantsome
I'm disabled and have a bridge card I would have never participated in something like that. I was hoping someone would nail their ass to the wall for doing that. They got what they deserve.

And just screw the children who are now assed out for food for a year because of poor parental decision making...

If anything stricter controls are needed for these people, not taking away of the one lifeline their children could have.

Im all for "correcting" the problem, denying food for a year though...


eta:
76% of EBT households have elderly or children under their care.

If the bank made an error and I suddenly had 50 thousand in the bank and spent it all for my family, I would still be liable for that "theft".

Even if it is my family that suffers as a result.

These people who stole from the system deserve to be punished. It's a damned shame that children have to suffer. Maybe the state needs to take the children away from parents that would steal without thought to the consequences of their actions.

Good on Jindal.

xuenchen
So who's "fault" is it ?

intrepid

What are your thoughts on that?

Personally, I would question the motives of the retailers that "allowed" the blind purchases.

Did they make the decision on their own ? or is there contingency plans in place ?

I'm also wondering how the "blind" purchases were stored.

If the system was down, the transactions must have been stored in a buffer system and then finalized later.

I'm sure some people didn't know their balances, but then they should have known their respective monthly limit.

Maybe some certainly decided to "take advantage" if they thought they could get away with it.

benrl

wantsome
I'm disabled and have a bridge card I would have never participated in something like that. I was hoping someone would nail their ass to the wall for doing that. They got what they deserve.

And just screw the children who are now assed out for food for a year because of poor parental decision making...

If anything stricter controls are needed for these people, not taking away of the one lifeline their children could have.

Im all for "correcting" the problem, denying food for a year though...


eta:
76% of EBT households have elderly or children under their care.

edit on 8-11-2013 by benrl because: (no reason given)

thank you. somebody with the real sense...

im starting to notice a trend with people now a days...when it comes to the poor or the less fortunate. people tend to judge alot more and all compassion just suddenly disappears but let a corporation or big company take advantage of the system...no one says a word.

some people act like they never broke the law or they abide by it 24 hrs a day. or act like they never took advantage of any or certain situations before...STOP BEING HIPPOCRATES..

reply to post by xuenchen


You have more faith in people than I have. I got a Subway card for Christmas last year and I still know what's left on that puppy.

reply to post by beezzer

These people who stole from the system deserve to be punished. It's a damned shame that children have to suffer. Maybe the state needs to take the children away from parents that would steal without thought to the consequences of their actions.

You're a tough customer there Mr. Bunny. I have to agree with you here though. Perhaps, maybe, these people didn't know precisely what their balance was. I'll grant them that...but they absolutely knew if they had hundreds or more in there vs. having a ballpark figure to have gone to Walmart that day with to shop. These people aren't walking up with a cart full of things to play "Lets find out our balance today!" when they get to paying for it. That's silly to suggest ..and the only way I can see they get the benefit of any doubt. So...I guess they lose that benefit too.

At the same time..Walmart KNEW this was wrong. They KNEW this was running off the books and outside the accountability or checks that existed and still, they let it happen. So, I don't say the people should have anything different happen to them. They earned their whack over the head for being thieves.....but so did Walmart. They ought to be fined the cost of the shopping spree x's some number for good measure and a lesson.

After all, how would Walmart feel about this if someone robbed them, went on down the street to Target and proceeded to go on a shopping spree. Then, at the register, they pull out bank bags stuffed with Walmart receipts and Walmart money, obvious to all......to be told their money is WELCOME at Target, and having robbed it makes no difference?

I'm thinking Walmart wouldn't see it as so funny then.

A year is too long. Maybe just until that spending amount was reached by offsetting of the SNAP card credits. So if they spent $700.00 in grocery's they would have to wait until they had credited it all back through their monthly allotments. Once they reached a zero balance, they would begin receiving their food funds the following month. After all, they just bought a sh#tload of food so it should last for a while.

Their is no excuse for the bad behavior and once the full carted people in line heard the glitch was fixed, they all abandoned their carts. They KNEW it wasn't a raise.

benrl
Banks cheat the system crash the economy, not so much as a whisper of legal action.


Poor do it, NO FOOD FOR A YEAR!!!

That depends on whether or not this was their first offense. Benefits are lost for a year the first time, 2 years the second time, and for life the third time. So, if they had any prior instances of fraud (like maybe lying about income or failing to report a change in income), it could be forever.

I certainly feel terrible for the kids that are dependent on SNAP benefits to eat, because it was not their fault and it will be the children that suffer the most in this mess... and right before the holidays, too

Come on, a raise in benefits?! I saw some of that footage, people had 2-3 big screen TVs in their carts.
I am sure that wasn't everyone, but enough of them.

Both Walmart and these people are to blame. Rob the system, lose your benefits. Seems fair to me.

Now they will have to sell their ill gotten goods to feed themselves.

StoutBroux
A year is too long. Maybe just until that spending amount was reached by offsetting of the SNAP card credits. So if they spent $700.00 in grocery's they would have to wait until they had credited it all back through their monthly allotments.

Their is no excuse for the bad behavior and once the full carted people in line heard the glitch was fixed, they all abandoned their carts. They KNEW it wasn't a raise.

This was initially my thought as well. Then I remembered the videos during the "glitch." These are the same type of people we see climbing out of broken shop windows carrying TV sets after a hurricane. Some penalty for the pathetic behavior seems right.

The kids though are another problem.

Children are ALWAYS the ones to suffer when adults do something stupid.

That's because it is children who have to rely on parents.

If an adult breaks the law, then the adult should be punished. There should never be a caveat clause that says, "Oh. You stole, murdered, did drugs, assaulted people, damaged property. . . yaddayadda. . . . but since "the children might suffer" we'll just let it go."

beezzer
Children are ALWAYS the ones to suffer when adults do something stupid.

That's because it is children who have to rely on parents.

If an adult breaks the law, then the adult should be punished. There should never be a caveat clause that says, "Oh. You stole, murdered, did drugs, assaulted people, damaged property. . . yaddayadda. . . . but since "the children might suffer" we'll just let it go."

how are you gonna compare murders, drugs and assaults...with foodebt cards???? the thought process of some of you is astounding....

get off that high horse.....

I do and don't feel sorry for the kids. I'm not sure about Louisiana specifically, but I know that there are a lot of places where kids get free lunch at school and sometimes free breakfast too. Then, there are an increasing number of states where the subsidized housing communities also offer free lunch and sometimes breakfast programs for children all through the summer, too, not counting the after-school programs with their snacks and summer programs with the same ... for free (well on the tax payer dime).

So, depending on what Louisiana does, these kids might at most be missing one meal per day because of this. Yeah, it's never good for a child to go hungry, but there are also ways for them to get food, too.

All actions have consequences. This is another reason to place welfare at the local level, more control I do not accept excuses for the misuse of the system. These people deserve to be called on the carpet. They are spending money the working class could use to send their children to college, help their parents in their old age, etc. Instead we are allowing people to continue to "use" the system. Worse still, most people on the welfare road have no appreciation and no plan to become self sufficient. Those of you who will rapidly jump on my case about my lack of charity -- open up your own wallets and take care of the the people for whom you fill such sympathy . Put your own money where your heart bleeds. Then there would be no poor.

beatbox

beezzer
Children are ALWAYS the ones to suffer when adults do something stupid.

That's because it is children who have to rely on parents.

If an adult breaks the law, then the adult should be punished. There should never be a caveat clause that says, "Oh. You stole, murdered, did drugs, assaulted people, damaged property. . . yaddayadda. . . . but since "the children might suffer" we'll just let it go."

how are you gonna compare murders, drugs and assaults...to food????

get off that high horse.....

edit on 8-11-2013 by beatbox because: (no reason given)

waaa

Theft is theft.

reply to post by ketsuko


so you want to rely on after school programs to feed children????