HELP! My Ex Wife filed for food stamps, they garnished my wages!

[Fatherforever]

Hello,

I am a father of 2 sons (ages 3 and 5) I have primary custody of the children (75/25%). About 6 months ago, my ex wife filed for food stamps and included the children in the amount she was to receive. She doesn't have primary custody of the children, but went ahead anyways to get more food stamps for herself. On my next pay check DSHS had garnished my wages for child support, for her! I was able to get it taken care of by calling my lawyer and having her straighten it out, but it cost me about $600 in the long run! Is it fraud on my ex wife's part to even be including the children when they don't live with her? It has been so long now, but is there anything I can do? It cost me money to fix the problem and she hasn't once used her food stamps towards buying anything for the children.


Thanks in advance for your help.

~FF

[snowrose]

Just from what I've heard in passing it's near impossible to get money back from the various government support systems, even if it's proven the person had no right to file the way they did. 

You could try suing your ex to get the money back (you can sue for pretty much anything you want) but even if you get a verdict in your favor there's still no guarantee she'll ever pay you.

Sorry.   

[Fatherforever]

Well luckily the money taken from my paycheck was returned, and all it cost me was my lawyers fee. My girlfriend looked up the DSHS website today and found an online form to report someone who has commited welfare fraud. So we put in her information and we'll see what happens. It's just sad the way the world sees things at times, they automatically assumed that she had custody of the kids and that she should get child support; when in reality the kids like with me. And yet not once have they tried to collect child support from her. Sad.