Food Stamps

Food Stamps for Sale on Craigslist

In just a matter of years, Craigslist has become a hotbed of sales and barters, with people buying and selling everything from lawn furniture to love. But now people are putting their food stamps up online, and it’s not without a large amount of controversy.

In their “About” section, Craigslist clearly lists “food stamps, WIC vouchers, SNAP EBT cards, SNAP or WIC foods, infant formula, etc. and other items received from governmental agencies or programs” as items not to be sold. But despite this, food stamps are for sale, with sellers going about it through loopholes and illegalities. Unless a listing is flagged on Craigslist, it’ll sit there until it expires or the lister takes it down. With most listings going unflagged, food stamps and EBT (Electronic Benefits Transfer) cards are being sold with the profits being used for a variety of purposes.

People on welfare have become so desperate for a “good deal” that they’re readily snapping up cards at half the price, like the card one Philadelphia poster advertised as containing $500 but only costing $350. Another ad from Atlanta reads “DO YOU NEED SOME QUICK CASH??–$100. If you get Food Stamps and need some extra cash then hit me asap.”

Rachel Sheffield, policy analyst at the Heritage Foundation’s DeVos Center for Religion and Civil Society, notes that “to reduce this type of fraud, states should be required to cross-check the food stamp rolls against the National Directory of New Hires. Those who have failed to inform the food stamp office of new employment should have their benefits suspended.” While it’s not certain if Sheffield’s proposal will work, especially with 48 million Americans on Food Stamps, it’s clear something needs to be to stem the tide of fraud. One big problem is that the EBT cards don’t require photo ID, meaning that once a person sells his card, all he has to do is report it lost or stolen and promptly receive a new one. Until then, EBT cards will continue to be sold in a “SNAP”.