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Social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook aren’t just used to communicate with others, as many people use them to illegally buy and sell food stamps. But are users taking too big a risk by posting their ads in such a public spot?

Craigslist

Selling food stamps on Craigslist is nothing too new, and a quick search on different cities pulls up dozens of ads. For example, a post from February 5th in Atlanta, Georgia titled “Needing to buy food stamps—$150” has the following message:

 

  • Hello. I’m needing to buy 300 to 400 of food stamps for $150 to $200. Will buy whatever you are willing to offer. Can’t pay full price for groceries because of income. It’s for my family. They have no other way of obtaining food. I hope this could be an ongoing thing if you want it to be. Have a blessed day. Thank you for your time and may you have beautiful days ahead.

 

Meanwhile, a February 11th post from Eric in Philadelphia has this to say:

 

  • my food stamps cut on 12am midnight which will be 2/11/14 I will receive $189 in food stamps on my access card ..I want $130 cash them ..we can meet up at a super market … I also have a MetroPCS motion LG with 30 days of service I just got it activated yesterday 2/09/14 I still have the receipt and paper work from the Metropcs corporate store on ***** I can give u all my account info I want $70 for it that’s a good deal call or text me ********** eric

 

Reading these ads—and others—is more than just scoffing at the food stamps fraud that’s being committed on a daily basis; these people are poor and desperate and just about willing to sell anything they can so they can feed themselves and their families, even if it means going without the things that are vital to getting a job (e.g. a phone and a phone number).

Twitter

The Twitterverse is an interesting place to look at food stamps being sold because it happens in real time. And it’s also a platform where you’re not limited to searching by city, so you can see what’s happening in the whole country all at once.

”Miss Lady” from apparently Houston uses the twitter handle @MsLadyJoycelynn, has over 8,000 followers, and sent out a tweet on February 21st asking, “Anybody know anyone in Houston selling food stamps?” It was retweeted, which only serves to perpetuate the fraud being committed. It’s also a risky venture, because authorities in charge of eliminating fraud can easily create a Twitter handle and bait the seller.

YouTube

Going on the world’s most popular social media platform quickly turns up three separate pages for food stamps, each one as dismaying as the next. For example, one page is called “How u gone sell all yo food stamps, n aint no food in yo house?” This page features a whole lot of swearing and coarse language, with the occasional plea for food stamps thrown in.

The other two pages are a mixture of disgust and pity, with one page called “ Selling Food Stamps For Crack”, which seems to mostly be a forum for people to snigger at the problem and trade foul-mouthed insults. But the page that really speaks to the plight of the impoverished is called “Who Got Some Food Stamps 4 Sale?” Here, users can’t hide how much they need money.

Selling food stamps may be illegal—regardless of where it takes place—but its move to social media shows how savvy SNAP recipients have become, and what lengths they’re willing to go to in order to get by.

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