El Dorado County targeting welfare fraud
By Cathy Locke, Sacramento Bee
The El Dorado County Health and Human Services Agency reports that a team effort with the District Attorney’s Office to combat welfare fraud resulted in the referral of more than 200 cases and recovery of more than $340,000 last year.
“We take fraud seriously,” Patty Moley, program manager of income maintenance and employment services, said in a written statement. “Our job is to make sure that people who need and qualify for benefits receive them. But it is also our responsibility to look for false information and potential fraud situations.”
Suspected fraud cases are referred to the District Attorney’s Office to be investigated. Investigators go to the client’s home and/or employer to verify information and collect any needed documents. The information is reviewed and, if warranted, the fraud case is formally prosecuted, officials said.
Suspected welfare fraud may be reported to the Health and Human Services Agency’s Program Integrity Unit by calling (530) 642-7300
I knew of fraud several years ago and when I contacted the department to report it, I was told that unless I had the SSN of the person I was reporting, they wouldn’t do anything.
Since you aren’t supposed to have anyone’s SSN other than your own, I found this to be frustrating and typical of the government response.
I hope this article is accurate today and that situation has been rectified. Our money should go to people in real need, not to those trying to scam us.
There is so much fraud in the welfare program that it is ridicules. 50% of people on welfare are crooks and just plain lazy. Everyone who is on welfare should be tested for drugs and everyone of them should be required to put in at least 30 hours of work either for the City, County or state in order to receive a check. They should be given A sack of Rice, Beans a block of Cheese and all the powdered milk the want and not $750.00 worth of food stamps or a credit card to purchase anything they want. They should be required to prove that they are looking for work and not just sitting around waiting for the next check.
I don’t know how much they receive in food stamps but last week I was in line at the Safeway Store and the lady in front of me had 2 baskets of food, one was being pushed by a young girl of about 15 0r 16, there bill was
$573.83, there were things that I can’t afford in their basket. I almost fell on the floor when she pulled out food stamps and paid for it and why are they allowed to buy beer and cigarettes with food stamps and then go out and get into a new car that I couldn’t even afford. All the authorities have to do is put someone at a store and follow them home, I know people that are living real well on welfare and are living one hell of a lot better than I do.
We have 4th and 5th generation welfare, families are raised to learn to how to get it.
Very SAD
Three or four years ago I tried to turn in a coworkers SO for fraud. It was social security disability and section 8 housing. I rode a couple of chairs with him until he told me what he was up to.
He is a double black diamond skier who is on disability for back and asthma problems. He still smokes cigarettes and skis with a pass all season.
He kept going back to Barton until he had ran up over a quarter million in needless costs.
After he received disability he used county employees to gain custody of his two children. Surprise they received some sort of social security benefit too. On top of that he was paid to take care of them.
Lived in nice three bedroom home in the state streets on section eight.
The sob had the nerve to sell his free pain killers to buy pot and meth.
When I tried to turn him in I was accused of violating the privacy of one of their CLIENTS!