I’ve been offered foodstuffs bought with an EBT card on a 2:1 or even 3:1 basis for such things as toiletries, booze, tobacco and gasoline.
Saw an article about this going on in Philly a few months ago. Underground dealers will accept the EBT cards as payment for illicit goods. Then I think they were saying the best value they could get for the EBT cards was laundry detergent, and then I think they resell that or barter it at a lower value.
Here’s an article about why Tide detergent is being stolen...
Police believe thieves are using the soap on the black market, which retails for $10-$20, to buy drugs. On the black market, Tide is often referred to as “liquid gold” and can go for $5-$10 per bottle.
So why is Tide the only detergent being targeted? Authorities list several reasons: Tide is instantly recognizable because of its Day-Glo orange bottle; it is one of the most expensive brands of laundry detergent; and it does not have serial numbers, so it cannot be tracked.
Send them my way, I will give them 50 cents on the dollar, Cash. Got to fill my freezer. Crass isn’t this?