Govt says walmart must pay for EBT shoppers that exceeded limit

[KissMy]

Wal-Mart, Xerox blame each other for Louisiana shopping gone wild.

"Xerox corporate spokesman Bill McKee provided a written company statement saying that Xerox has a "documented process for retailers like Wal-Mart to follow in response to EBT outages."

Louisiana officials said they had no intention of being left holding the bag. "The outage was the result of failures by our contractor, Xerox," said Trey Williams, a spokesman for the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services.

He said emergency procedures in place with Xerox allow retailers to call a phone number and receive authorization for purchases any time the EBT system is down. "Some retailers chose not to follow the process," he said. "Those businesses are only being reimbursed for the (maximum) amounts on individual cards," he said.

Williams said that amounts transacted above the cards' available balances were returned to Wal-Mart marked "as insufficient funds.""

I don't see anything stopping Walmart from processing the "insufficient funds" against the EBT cards accounts again in 15 days when the government deposits money into all of them. It's just like sending a bounced check back through the bank.

 

[jon_berzerk]

This is crazy. This is all the fault of the govt, not walmart. The amount by which the shoppers exceeded their limit should be deducted from their future EBT allotments. That way nobody gets anything they don't deserve.

Food stamp shopping spree: Who pays? - KSLA News 12 Shreveport, Louisiana News Weather & Sports

Oct 14, 2013 7:23 PM

SHREVEPORT, LA (KSLA) -
Walmart may be on the hook for the shopping spree spurred by temporarily unlimited balances on EBT cards Saturday in at least 2 stores in the ArkLaTex.

KSLA News 12 obtained video showed overflowing shopping carts, excited shoppers, and empty shelves throughout Walmarts in Springhill and Mansfield, LA. The frenzy was reportedly created by a glitch in the EBT system that allowed card users to seemingly shop without a limit. In reality, there was a limit the whole time.

The Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services oversees those benefits, called SNAP, or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

A spokesperson for LA DCFS tells KSLA News 12 that no EBT card is ever limitless, and that when these outages happen, the retailer has a responsibility to implement emergency procedures. Those procedures include placing a phone call and verbally approving a spending limit for the customer. Trey Williams with DCFS says some retailers chose not to do that.

no responsibility for the card holder --LOL

what a bogus concept

 

[Sunshine]

This is crazy. This is all the fault of the govt, not walmart. The amount by which the shoppers exceeded their limit should be deducted from their future EBT allotments. That way nobody gets anything they don't deserve.

Food stamp shopping spree: Who pays? - KSLA News 12 Shreveport, Louisiana News Weather & Sports

Oct 14, 2013 7:23 PM

SHREVEPORT, LA (KSLA) -
Walmart may be on the hook for the shopping spree spurred by temporarily unlimited balances on EBT cards Saturday in at least 2 stores in the ArkLaTex.

KSLA News 12 obtained video showed overflowing shopping carts, excited shoppers, and empty shelves throughout Walmarts in Springhill and Mansfield, LA. The frenzy was reportedly created by a glitch in the EBT system that allowed card users to seemingly shop without a limit. In reality, there was a limit the whole time.

The Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services oversees those benefits, called SNAP, or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

A spokesperson for LA DCFS tells KSLA News 12 that no EBT card is ever limitless, and that when these outages happen, the retailer has a responsibility to implement emergency procedures. Those procedures include placing a phone call and verbally approving a spending limit for the customer. Trey Williams with DCFS says some retailers chose not to do that.

I do not agree with that bolded statement. Technology is what it is. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. Those people knew there were limits on those cards. Wal Mart knew there were limits on those cards. Not knowing exactly what the balance was on them, they could have set a limit of a reasonable dollar amount and held shoppers to it until the problem was fixed.

The 'government of the people' (who pay taxes for this shit) is NOT responsible because a bunch of hooligans went feral just because they could.

What the government IS responsible for is not limiting the numbers of people in generational poverty producing more people in generational poverty. And I say poverty with a smirk because how is one poor when he is so well off he doesn't have to work for his money.

 

[jon_berzerk]

I am certain the gvt will pay for their overages if they qualified as food stamp groceries, and I am pretty certain that these people that overspent, will be sent LESS the following payment in EBT funds...the gvt will get their money back and these people will have less food funds in the next month.....if they WAYYYYY overspent, then I think these people should be penalized and taken off the program where an authorized guardian can buy the food for the children in the perps family or something like that....

if they WAYYYYY overspent, then I think these people should be penalized and taken off the program where an authorized guardian can buy the food for the children in the perps family or something like that

great so now the people can pay even more for the blatant disregard of the system

 

[Sunshine]

I am certain the gvt will pay for their overages if they qualified as food stamp groceries, and I am pretty certain that these people that overspent, will be sent LESS the following payment in EBT funds...the gvt will get their money back and these people will have less food funds in the next month.....if they WAYYYYY overspent, then I think these people should be penalized and taken off the program where an authorized guardian can buy the food for the children in the perps family or something like that....

You are wrong. The government is not going to let all those cheeeeeeeldrin go hungry. They are going to hang Wal Mart for it and keep handing out money just like they have been. Read the OP.

 

[Sunshine]

Can a business refuse to accept gubbmint "free stuff cards" entirely? If not, why not!

Of course were Walmart to do that the stores might be empty........

They would be empty certain days of the week.

 

[Sunshine]

The people who went over their limit essentially robbed Walmart, and should be ashamed of themselves. Find out who they are and send them the bill.

Welfare recipients have no shame. If they did, they would not be on welfare.

 

[Sunshine]

Let me get this right.

The government is pissed off that people with EBT cards exceeded their spending limit?

Seriously? Upset that anyone would exceed their spending limit?

Yes, there is bitter irony in this isn't there!

 

[jon_berzerk]

I am certain the gvt will pay for their overages if they qualified as food stamp groceries, and I am pretty certain that these people that overspent, will be sent LESS the following payment in EBT funds...the gvt will get their money back and these people will have less food funds in the next month.....if they WAYYYYY overspent, then I think these people should be penalized and taken off the program where an authorized guardian can buy the food for the children in the perps family or something like that....

I am confused...did or did not the GVT approve those purchases?

if the gvt approved those overage purchases then they should pay walmart,

but if they did not approve those overages, and did not give Walmart permission to let these people spend what they want no matter the amount, then they should only be obligated to pay for whatever the rule is for these kind of situations....like $50 max allowed when the system is down....surely there is a protocol for the Walmarts of the world, for this type of situation...

I am confused...did or did not the GVT approve those purchases?

if the gvt approved those overage purchases then they should pay walmart,


they had open ended balances the cards would approve with no stopping point

they should pay walmart and charge the over limit dis honest folks

but that isnt how it works in America anymore

 

[Sunshine]

None of our laws apply to non-whites. For them every day is christmas and whitey must pay for it.

link plz

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPPUfgLqQO0]Raw: Walmart Shelves in Springhill, Louisiana cleared in EBT Glitch | HQ Video - YouTube[/ame]

I guess they used their free cell phones to call all their friends and tell them there was no limit. LOL. But, seriously, many shop like that on the day the eagle flies.

 

[Sunshine]

So Walmart screwed up, they have to pay. Which they will write-off.

Which will be reflected in the prices they charge the rest of us.

There I fixed it for you.

 

[Sunshine]

Bullshit. The people should pay for it. Their cards should show a negative balance until their added allotments push them back into the black. And they should be penalized somehow for committing what they full well knew was fraud.

Bu....bu....bu....the cheeeeeeldrin will be hungry!

 

[Sunshine]

Bullshit. The people should pay for it. Their cards should show a negative balance until their added allotments push them back into the black. And they should be penalized somehow for committing what they full well knew was fraud.

So if I used my credit card that didn't authorize, they accepted it, I'd be responsible? Think this one through before posting.

My citi card allows me to go over the limit by $500 each month. But I have to pay the overage back in total when the bill is due. Apples : Oranges.

 

[strollingbones]

anyone wonder why they just hit walmart? perhaps walmart was the only store that allowed this?

 

[Sunshine]

I am certain the gvt will pay for their overages if they qualified as food stamp groceries, and I am pretty certain that these people that overspent, will be sent LESS the following payment in EBT funds...the gvt will get their money back and these people will have less food funds in the next month.....if they WAYYYYY overspent, then I think these people should be penalized and taken off the program where an authorized guardian can buy the food for the children in the perps family or something like that....

I am confused...did or did not the GVT approve those purchases?

if the gvt approved those overage purchases then they should pay walmart,

but if they did not approve those overages, and did not give Walmart permission to let these people spend what they want no matter the amount, then they should only be obligated to pay for whatever the rule is for these kind of situations....like $50 max allowed when the system is down....surely there is a protocol for the Walmarts of the world, for this type of situation...

The system was down so nothing could be approved.

 

[Sunshine]

I am certain the gvt will pay for their overages if they qualified as food stamp groceries, and I am pretty certain that these people that overspent, will be sent LESS the following payment in EBT funds...the gvt will get their money back and these people will have less food funds in the next month.....if they WAYYYYY overspent, then I think these people should be penalized and taken off the program where an authorized guardian can buy the food for the children in the perps family or something like that....

if they WAYYYYY overspent, then I think these people should be penalized and taken off the program where an authorized guardian can buy the food for the children in the perps family or something like that

great so now the people can pay even more for the blatant disregard of the system

I have said for years that we give them money so they won't raid our homes and take everything we have. This certainly validates my theory on that one.

 

[strollingbones]

http://g-a-i.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/GAI-Report-ProfitsfromPoverty-FINAL.pdf

a long but interesting read on corporations that profit from ebts.....and the evolutions of food stamps

 

[Sunshine]

anyone wonder why they just hit walmart? perhaps walmart was the only store that allowed this?

Good obs, bones.

The big box stores are not long on people who have the profit motive in mind. It's not their money after all, and they work for a pittance. So WTF? I get much better service at the smaller Food Giant than I do at Wal Mart. Same with the big box home improvement stores. The smaller local lumber companies will give much better service and many of their employees are working on commission.

 

[Sunshine]

http://g-a-i.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/GAI-Report-ProfitsfromPoverty-FINAL.pdf

a long but interesting read on corporations that profit from ebts.....and the evolutions of food stamps

Likely true, but then even the food channel seems to be promoting certain food items. I have seen things come to this area that we never saw here before them.

 

[TemplarKormac]

Interesting, I think the Government should pay for all the lost merchandise. It was a glitch in THEIR program that caused this.

Wrong - It was Walmart's decision to ok transactions that were not authorized by the debit account. Tax payers are not at fault & should not have to pay a dime for this failure. This issue is between Walmart & the shoppers who they let take their merchandise.

JPMorganChase issued the EBT cards & subbed it's network out to Xerox. Walmart was issuing shoppers credit, because they were not authorized to charge the EBT account. Walmart has to eat any credit defaulted on by it's customers.

If they refused, what would the chances be that it would have started a riot? If not a riot, what about the chances that this would make them out as a chain that doesn't care about "the poor"? If you don't know me, I think on both sides of the coin. Frankly yes, they can be accused of not exercising better judgement, but then again, what would happen to me if I refused an unruly mob at my store because of some glitch in a government run entitlement system?