Public benefit fraud is defined as the intentional misrepresentation, concealment, or nondisclosure of material facts in order to participate in government funded benefits, which includes Public Assistance, SNAP (food stamps), and Medicaid.
Fraud can be committed by either a client or provider.
Public Assistance and SNAP (Food Stamps) fraud includes, but is not limited to, failing to alert or report to the Agency any of the following:
- Income/Assets
- Ownership of property/business
- Bank account
- Change in residency and/or household size
- Vehicles
- Receiving benefits for a person when the recipient is living somewhere else
- Giving documents to the Agency that have been changed and/or have any false information, such as income, resources and household size
- Selling SNAP benefits for money, drugs, and other prohibited items through an Electronic Benefit Transfer card
- Buying EBT benefits for cash or other prohibited items
Medicaid fraud includes, but is not limited to:
- Lying about income or household members on an application
- Selling or loaning Electronic Benefits Transfer cards for others to use
- Providing forged prescriptions
- Pharmacies that bill Medicaid for medications not prescribed
