Wisconsin Food Stamps Reportedly Illegally Bought and Sold on Facebook

MILWAUKEE -- A Milwaukee Journal Sentinel investigation into possible fraud in the state's FoodShare benefits program found that some people are illegally buying and selling food stamps on Facebook.

The newspaper reported Sunday that it found nine Facebook users in Milwaukee and about 70 users nationwide had posted to Facebook to either buy or sell food assistance benefits illegally -- or to help others do so.

State Department of Health Services spokeswoman Beth Kaplan acknowledges social networks could be used to scam the program. She says the department would refer suspected criminal activity to authorities.

Gov. Scott Walker's commission on fraud and government waste is looking at FoodShare fraud for a report due later this summer.

Wisconsin's $1 billion a year FoodShare program is run by the state and counties with federal money.