WAUSEON, OHIO – May is Public Assistance Fraud Awareness Month in Ohio, and Fulton County Job & Family Services (FCJFS) is spreading the word that “Fraud Costs All of Us.”
In 2015, the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services disbursed about $2.5 billion in SNAP food assistance, $259 million in Ohio Works First cash assistance and $573 million in child care subsidies. Individuals who mislead caseworkers or lie on an application for benefits account for a very small percentage of the funding disbursed, but the department takes even the smallest fraud cases very seriously.
Fraud is noted in all aspects of SNAP food assistance including Medicaid, Cash Assistance, and Daycare. Last year, Fulton County established over $114,000 in claims, and collected over $86,000. They rank 4th in the state for their average assistance group size.
“Fraud is a big issue,” states Fulton County Job & Family Services Fraud Investigator Marsha Horner. “When benefits are issued and not being used for the intended purpose, it is fraud.” Horner notes that whether it be buying, selling, trading food assistance or mis-using Medicaid services, Fulton County does not take fraud lightly. Horner recommends to contact Job and Family Services if fraud is suspected. “Remember, fraud costs us all.”
Individuals found to be committing fraud are removed from the program, must repay any improperly obtained benefits, and may face criminal charges and jail time.
Residents of Fulton County may report suspected public assistance fraud by calling Marsha Horner, FCJFS Fraud Investigator at 419-337-0010 option 2 for Public Assistance then option 4 to report fraud.
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