Food Stamps Scam
Food Stamps Scam Save Email Print
Posted: 8:04 PM Sep 20, 2008
 Last Updated: 8:04 PM Sep 20, 2008
 Reporter: Associated Press
Email Address: News@wsaz.com
16 comments
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COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services is warning people who receive food stamps to watch out for a scam.

The department said Saturday that people are canvassing neighborhoods without power and posing as county employees seeking to provide assistance with replacement benefits. The scammers are asking people for their dates of birth and Social Security numbers.

The official department form for replacement benefits only asks for a name, address and the reason for seeking the benefits.

The department says anyone approached and asked for sensitive information should refuse and report the incident to law enforcement.
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Posted by: john on Sep 23, 2008 at 08:36 PM
The sate should stop welfare and food stamps and every other entitlement they GIVE AWAY. It sickens me. Lets go back to the old days were the church or community took care of it's own.
Posted by: leigh on Sep 23, 2008 at 03:54 PM
To lyn.. that may be the case in Ohio, but in KY it doesn't matter if you work or not to receive food stamps or medical (i know because i work for the food stamp office)
Posted by: lyn on Sep 23, 2008 at 06:48 AM
To Anonymous Before you start spilling from your mouh do some research. If you are recieving Foodstamps, medicial card are a able body then you either have or trying to get employment if not then what you recieve in those benifits you work out at any work site if not you will not recieve the benifits.I recieve foodstamps work 40 hours and some overtime when I am asked I have children I pay my taxes it isnt like in your day when people actually did nothing and recieved a check,foodstamps and watched tv all the time...
Posted by: Deb on Sep 22, 2008 at 10:54 PM
To ANONYMOUS on Sep 22, 2008 at 08:16 AM I was not putting down people who recieve public aid. I was merely stating my dissatifaction in the manner in which the state chose to handle the situation. If you are paying your taxes, you should be irritated as well. The idea of reimbursing food stamp benefits to anyone in any of Ohio's 88 counties who claims to have had an outage of more than 4 hours seems ridiculous! I was stating that the abuses of the process that will certainly occur infuriates me.
Posted by: To Anonymous on Sep 22, 2008 at 02:31 PM
Since when do you have to work to get food stamps? never heard that one before. Also I believe there are a few that need them, but there are a alot more who abuse it and wont work when they are more than able. I think they should have a certain amount to a family, not by how many kids they have?
Posted by: ky taxpayer on Sep 22, 2008 at 02:03 PM
Here in KY the scam seems to be the ones receiving SSI. They need to be drug tested also. Politicians are afraid to look into these programs for fear of looking like the bad guys.
Posted by: Anonymous on Sep 22, 2008 at 01:27 PM
Sorry Sherry, they don't give anything for the shepards.
Posted by: Anonymous on Sep 22, 2008 at 12:51 PM
its sad the people who do not break the rules or abuse the help have to go thro extra hassle to get the people whose messing it up but mayube it would help 2 get the crimnials drug addicts dealers to stop abusing our system
Posted by: To Sherry on Sep 22, 2008 at 12:45 PM
Close your internet account, sell your dogs and you and your son get jobs... then you wont have to worry about the scam...
Posted by: sherry on Sep 22, 2008 at 12:08 PM
Anyone comes to my fenced in yard is gonna face 2 german shepherds,, then my son,, and ohio is giving us just $17 so what would u do? seems like Im already getting scammed,, by the state,
Posted by: ANONYMOUS on Sep 22, 2008 at 08:16 AM
TO THOSE WHO WANT TO PUT DOWN PEOPLE WHO RECIEVE FOOD STAMPS--WE IN THIS STATE HAVE TO WORK A PUBLIC JOB OR A JOB FOR THE STATE TO RECIEVE THIS BENEFIT. SO ABOUT 50% OF US ARE TAXPAYERS TOO. FIND OUT HOW THE SYSTEM WORKS BEFORE PUTTING PEOPLE DOWN. THANK YOU.
Posted by: bobbie on Sep 22, 2008 at 06:44 AM
everybody needs to eat lol
Posted by: Deb on Sep 21, 2008 at 10:47 PM
Here is the real scam: People who recieve food stamps that were not left without power being reimbursed. Thanks again Ohio! What a happy taxpayer I am!
Posted by: JMiller on Sep 21, 2008 at 09:19 PM
Simply solution to the welfare problem, drug testing for those that apply.
Posted by: Anonymous on Sep 21, 2008 at 05:24 PM
I think 75% of the people who get food stamps are the ones who are doing the scam. Investigate them a little more.
Posted by: Mike on Sep 21, 2008 at 03:18 AM
Beleive me where I live Its a scam
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The Yell: Comments for the Week of 1/4
  • Posted By: Ari: Cheers to Rob-I feel ya!
  • Posted By: joe: I have worked for companies all over this nation and have had to take drug tests. Why should teachers be exempt from this practice? It is now common to be randomly tested(and I have been) so what makes a teacher any different than a steel worker. I can say proudly that I passed but I have seen those who didn't. They chose to use drugs and lost their jobs I didn't.
  • Posted By: Katy: As a teacher, I have no problem being randomly drug tested...as long as you agree to drug test the parents who enter the doors of my school as well. Most teachers deal with students who are exposed to/use more drugs and alcohol than any of the teachers. If these students or parents who are using drugs (and are not drug tested) enter our schools, the safety of the teachers and students are at risk. Since children spend more time with them, let's randomly drug test PARENTS, too!!!
  • Posted By: stephen: Why the heavy emphasis ont he damage to property and life Israel is doing . Where was the media uproar for years that Hamas was rocketing Israel irespective of innocent israelis.. Hamas is actualykilling their own citizens by firing rockets from UN schools and residents. Why does UN allow Hamas to use facilities for attacking Israel, then complain when Israel responds to protect their territory and citizens. Israel targets military targets, respons to from whence rockets or gun fire comes. What would we fire at if Huntington was attacked?Why does the media not put bla,e where balame belongs, and give moral support to the aggreived.What would America do if attacked? to whom would we listen? Russia, Saudi Arabia,Iran?.Media get REAL! Who has given Hamas and the Palestinians millions with which they could buy weapons---American taxpayers money!
  • Posted By: Robert: Although I feel for the employees that lost their positions at Cabell Huntington Hospital, at least more nurses were hired. I recently had a relative in the cardiac unit at Kings Daughters, in Ashland, and I was told that the nursing staff had been cut back and that no overtime was being given. This seems to be a drastic cut in patient care for a facility that spends thousands advertising that they are in the top 5% of cardiac hospitals in the country. I would be willing to wager that the Cleveland Clinic has not cut hours of those giving patient care.
  • Posted By: Boyd: If the state's budget is doing so well, why don't we use some of this money to help towns and cities in the state who are in trouble with their budget, or will this just become another pay raise for politicians?
  • Posted By: Rob: Why does everyone have to be so into using the term "racist" and have that kind of attitude. I know what my heritage is and who my ancestors were but you want to know what I consider myself? I AM AN AMERICAN! I was born and raised in this country and that's how I feel it should be. Born here, raised here.....then by God you are an American. Not an African American, not an Asian American etc. etc. You are an AMERICAN!
  • Posted By: Chris: To Ex-Officer: I agree with you 100% about the pay of police dept and the drug testing. I was formerly involved with the BCPD and had multiple ride alongs with the BCSO. I am probably one of their biggest critics due to having watch some of the bad side of the department for a long time. I wish that I could tell everything that I have seen officers do,which would put most of them behind bars or they'll lose their sheild, But retalliation is bad in our area. To the cops that do their job and do it with the best intentions, I proud of you and don't mean any disrespect. To the ones who I personally watch being more currupt then the "badguys" here,your day will be coming.
  • Posted By: Pablo: Teachers aren't the only ones underpaid. Law enforcement officers are underpaid also. And I'd like to speak about them. For example, I'm sure any parent would sacrifice their live for thier children. And several may give thier live to save their spouse. A few individuals may even do it for a close friend. But, I only know of 3 types of beings who will sacrifice thier lives for complete strangers; indeed even for people who hate them. The first would be our men and women in our armed forces. The second would be our law enforcement officers. And of course, third would be our Savior, Jesus Christ. Others are killed in the line of their employment, but not in order to save a complete stranger. Everytime a cop puts on his/her uniform, they can be a target for anyone upset about something. Even though it doesn't involve the cop personally, that very cop will give his life to save yours when a problem arises. We need to give our cops not only a wage, but a living wage and a great big THANKS.
  • Posted By: Craig: If what I am hearing is correct that Kanawha County teachers accepted a pay raise in return for submitting to drug testing, and then sued successfully so they do not have to be subject to testing, then why shouldn't we the taxpayers demand they return the raise?
  • Posted By: teresa: racist lmao i am one cherokee,german,irish,german,and who knows what else TIRED of hearing of racist comments u are either GOOD OR BAD k no skin color needed just evil or NOT
  • Posted By: Ex-Officer: I agree with Robert 100% I worked in law enforcement and loved the job but try to rise a family on less than 10.00 an hour (out of that pay for your own duty gear and gun). I believe that all public safety workers should be drug tested but i also believe that they should be paid for the job that they do. Not many people understand what a public safty worker goes through. Would you put your life on the line for this kind of pay? Remember the saying that you get what you pay for. I see this in several new officers in my area. Don't get me wrong there are still very good officers in law enforcement. Something really needs to be done about the low pay for these jobs.
  • Posted By: Garland: What's the difference between teachers and other workers(coal mineers, bus drivers, state employees,etc.)? Teachers aren't any better are they?
  • Posted By: : This is not a comment, but I would like comments on it please. What do you think of Poca High School? Racist or not?
  • Posted By: Robert: We the people, through our own self centeredness and apathy, have allowed our teachers and police officials to be some of the most underpaid people in the United States. We are trusting our childrens education and our public safety to the very people that are some of the most underpaid profesions in the U.S.. If I could change this, I would. However, I do believe that these people should be randomly drug tested. I work in the construction industry and I have no problem being drug tested. I have nothing to hide. I also believe that any person who is intrusted with the safety of others should have nothing to hide. This includes plitical officials up to and including the president.
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