Tag Page EBTAbuse

#EBTAbuse
larsenjackie

The “Helper Fee” at the Self-Checkout

The first time I saw her was near the self-checkout machines. She looked young, maybe mid-20s, standing in that suspicious way—close enough to observe, far enough to pretend she was waiting. As I scanned my groceries, she whispered, “Need help? I can make your bill cheaper.” I thought she was selling some membership. Instead, she pulled out two SNAP cards and said, “You send me cash, I pay your total.” My $42 bill (chicken, milk, bread) was suddenly paid with her SNAP card, and she asked me to Cash App her $30. I knew it was wrong. But the instant savings? It hit the weak spot in me. Later, I heard the store caught seven similar “helpers” that month. Some say it’s survival. Some say it’s fraud. I can’t forget what she told me: “I don’t have a job. This card is the only way I can turn something into money.” #SNAPFraud #EBTAbuse #GroceryStories #PolicyChangedMyLife #LifeInAmerica

The “Helper Fee” at the Self-Checkout
mhutchinson

The Farmers Market Stand That Took EBT but Gave No Produce — A Public Secret

At a weekend farmers market in Los Angeles, I noticed a booth that looked normal at first glance—vegetables displayed, vendor smiling. But something felt off. No one was bagging produce. No weighing. No customers walking away with food. Yet the EBT machine beeped nonstop. An older shopper whispered to me: “They run an exchange. Swipe $80 in SNAP, walk away with $40 cash. You don’t need the vegetables.” I looked at the wilted produce and realized it wasn’t meant to be sold. It existed only as a cover. Meanwhile, real vendors trying to offer affordable vegetables were pushed aside. A broken system creates broken incentives. #ShowUsTheBill #SNAPFraud #FarmersMarketIssues #EBTAbuse #CostOfLiving

The Farmers Market Stand That Took EBT but Gave No Produce — A Public Secret
Louis Hoover

I Watched a Corner Store Turn SNAP Benefits Into Cash — No Food, Just Money

I live in Queens, and there’s a tiny corner store near my apartment — the kind where the owner sees what you’re touching the moment you walk in. But it’s also the kind of store where SNAP fraud quietly happens every day. Last week, I was buying milk when the man in front of me said: “Swipe $120. Just give me $60.” The owner didn’t even look up. “Same deal as usual.” He swiped his EBT card, took no groceries, grabbed $60 cash, and walked right out. I stood there thinking: My paycheck gets taxed every two weeks without fail. Meanwhile, SNAP — meant to help families buy food — is being turned into a cash-exchange service. And the funniest part? This same store prices things so high that families who actually need help can’t afford to shop there. So who’s really being cheated? #SNAPFraud #WhereAreOurTaxesGoing #EBTAbuse #CommunityStories

I Watched a Corner Store Turn SNAP Benefits Into Cash — No Food, Just Money
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