This post will guide you on how you can Report Food Stamp Fraud, to help ensure that SNAP is available for those who really need it most. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, helps over 47 million struggling Americans get a healthy food for their families.
Let’s say you start a new job at a convenience store and you observe a co-worker exchanging cash for a customer’s EBT card, this act meets the definition of fraud. You can proceed to report the fraud activity.
Also, retailers may be guilty of fraud if employees intentionally buy SNAP benefits for cash, or if they sell food in exchange for SNAP benefits that are ineligible for the program. You may read our previous post on eligible food items to buy with food stamp benefits.
Before you report a Food Stamp Fraud, make sure you have sufficient details to ensure an effective investigation. Information needed includes:
- The names and addresses of individuals involved
- Name and contact information of any retailer involved
- The specific acts you believe are fraudulent.
How to Report Food Stamp Fraud/Nutrition Assistance Fraud
Follow the step guide below to report a large-scale fraud.
- Just contact the USDA Office of the Inspector General by calling 1-800-424-9121 and file a fraud report of any kind.
- The OIG also accepts fraud reports by email to usda_hotline@oig.usda.gov. Furthermore, you can write out the details of your report and mail it to United States Department of Agriculture Office of the Inspector General, PO Box 23399, Washington, DC 20026-3399.
- You can as well report Food Stamp fraud online by going to https://www.usda.gov/oig/hotline.php
- Once you contact the OIG, you may give your name and contact information, or you may remain anonymous. You also may choose to have your name kept confidential, which means your name will be known to the OIG investigators but not to anyone else.
- After filling your initial report, the investigators may have further questions for you as they proceed with their investigation.
To Report Individual Fraud
Individuals may be guilty of fraud if they sell their benefits for cash, or allow another person to use their EBT card. To file your report, get the details about the activity you believe was fraudulent, and also identify the information about the individual who committed the act.
You shouldn’t report food stamp fraud unless you very sure about it. This is because your state agency will treat your claim as legitimate if you have significant detail about the individuals involved and their activities.
ALSO READ: ebtEDGE Card Login To Check EBT Card Balance
Meanwhile, you must report individual fraud to the state agency responsible for administering SNAP benefits. So, you must file your report in the state where the person you suspect of committing fraud lives. You can call (800) 424-9121 or (202) 690-1622 or (202) 690-1202 (TDD).
NOTE: if you make a fraud report that you are not sure against a particular person, you may end up facing criminal charges yourself.
