Transcript USDA Charge Letters

Updated Trafficking
Definition
What is Trafficking?

Trafficking is the buying or selling of Food
and Nutrition Services benefits for cash or
consideration other than eligible food; or
the attempt to buy or sell FNS benefits
online and/or in public
How is trafficking referred?
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USDA Charge Letters
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USDA Office of Inspector General
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Telephone calls and emails from the public
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Monitor social media web sites
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Data Mining
What are Charge Letters?
Charge Letters are used by USDA to notify
authorized FNS retailers that they have
been investigated and found guilty of
trafficking FNS benefits
Charge Letters
County Notification
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
Charge letters are sent to County DSS
from the State Office.
County DSS reviews client information for
suspected recipient trafficking
Investigative Red Flags

Several whole dollar transactions
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Rapid Transactions back-to-back
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High dollar transactions in a small store
Monitoring Social Media Sites
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USDA requires that social media sites be
monitored for potential trafficking
SNAP RSS Feed Procedures provided by
USDA to assist in identifying fraud
activities online
Technical barriers - may need to be
discussed with your county IT department
Social Media Referral Example
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Data Mining
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Prison Match Report
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PARIS Report
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BEER Report
Questions?