No actual cash is ever exchanged. Just keep that in mind. Benefits are loaded on a card. Cash Assistance is given directly to the service or provider. Transportation is paid for directly to the provider. Unfortunately there aren't a whole lot of items that are restricted from purchase with the benefit card. Booze and cigarettes are though. But that doesn't keep someone some selling groceries that they bought with a benefit card to buy the restricted items. That is considered fraud. Which does get monitored, reported and sometimes prosecuted. Food for thought. You cannot posses another person's benefit card. It's considered a felony because you are not the person the government issued it to. The system is broken, there is no debate about that. However, there are people the truly need a helping hand from time to time. Most, are not baby producers, or crack heads. They are just average folks like you and me. I often ask what I would do if I was on the other side of the desk.