Okla. Stat. tit. 56, § 56-185
This is the official text of Okla. Stat. tit. 56, § 56-185, part of Oklahoma’s Stat. tit. 56, — part of the compiled statutory law of Oklahoma, published by the state as "Stat. tit. 56,." Browse the sections below, each linked to its official government source.
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Fraud in obtaining assistance - Penalties - Signage
Official statutory text
A. Any person who:
Oklahoma Statutes - Title 56. Poor Persons Page 60
1. Obtains or attempts to obtain, or aids, abets or assists any
person to obtain, by means of a false statement or representation,
by false impersonation, by a fictitious transfer, conveyance or
encumbrance of property or income, by a knowing and willful failure
to report to the Department of Human Services income, personal
property, real property, household members, or other material
eligibility factors at the time of application or during the receipt
of assistance, or by other fraudulent device, assistance to which an
applicant is not entitled or assistance greater than that to which
an applicant is justly entitled; or
2. By sale, barter, purchase, theft, acquisition, possession or
use of any electronic benefits or debit card or any other device
authorizing participation in the Temporary Assistance for Needy
Families or other program of the Department, knowingly obtains,
aids, abets or assists any person to obtain or attempt to obtain
assistance to which a person is not entitled,
shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, if the aggregate amount of
assistance received as a result thereof is Five Hundred Dollars
($500.00) or less. Upon conviction thereof, such person shall be
fined not more than Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) or be imprisoned
for not more than three (3) months or be both so fined and
imprisoned in the discretion of the court; provided, however, if the
aggregate amount of assistance received as a result thereof is in
excess of Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00), such person shall be
guilty of a Class D3 felony offense and, upon conviction thereof,
shall be fined not more than Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00), or
be imprisoned as provided for in subsections B through F of Section
20P of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes, or be subject to both such
fine and imprisonment in the discretion of the court.
B. Every county Department of Human Services office in this
state shall conspicuously post a sign in an area clearly visible to
all visitors of the county office which shall provide information
about how to report individuals who have obtained public assistance
through fraudulent means or who have used public assistance in a
manner not consistent with its intended use. The sign shall make
reference to the Department of Human Services fraud hotline and
provide the current phone number for the hotline. The sign shall
also contain notification that all reports to the hotline may be
filed anonymously by persons suspecting fraudulent activity.
C. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the identity of
any person making a report on another individual who may have
obtained public assistance through fraudulent means, or an
individual using public assistance in a manner not consistent with
its intended use, shall not be revealed without the permission of
the person making the report.
Added by State Question No. 226, Initiative Petition No. 155, § 26,
adopted July 7, 1936. Amended by Laws 1973, c. 60, § 1, emerg. eff.
Oklahoma Statutes - Title 56. Poor Persons Page 61
April 27, 1973; Laws 1985, c. 58, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 1985; Laws 1997,
c. 133, § 499, eff. July 1, 1999; Laws 1999, c. 17, § 2, emerg. eff.
April 5, 1999; Laws 1999, 1st Ex.Sess., c. 5, § 364, eff. July 1,
1999; Laws 2013, c. 67, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2013; Laws 2025, c. 486, §
719, eff. Jan. 1, 2026.
NOTE: Laws 1998, 1st Ex.Sess., c. 2, § 23 amended the effective
date of Laws 1997, c. 133, § 499 from July 1, 1998, to July 1, 1999.
Oklahoma Statutes - Title 56. Poor Persons Page 60
1. Obtains or attempts to obtain, or aids, abets or assists any
person to obtain, by means of a false statement or representation,
by false impersonation, by a fictitious transfer, conveyance or
encumbrance of property or income, by a knowing and willful failure
to report to the Department of Human Services income, personal
property, real property, household members, or other material
eligibility factors at the time of application or during the receipt
of assistance, or by other fraudulent device, assistance to which an
applicant is not entitled or assistance greater than that to which
an applicant is justly entitled; or
2. By sale, barter, purchase, theft, acquisition, possession or
use of any electronic benefits or debit card or any other device
authorizing participation in the Temporary Assistance for Needy
Families or other program of the Department, knowingly obtains,
aids, abets or assists any person to obtain or attempt to obtain
assistance to which a person is not entitled,
shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, if the aggregate amount of
assistance received as a result thereof is Five Hundred Dollars
($500.00) or less. Upon conviction thereof, such person shall be
fined not more than Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) or be imprisoned
for not more than three (3) months or be both so fined and
imprisoned in the discretion of the court; provided, however, if the
aggregate amount of assistance received as a result thereof is in
excess of Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00), such person shall be
guilty of a Class D3 felony offense and, upon conviction thereof,
shall be fined not more than Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00), or
be imprisoned as provided for in subsections B through F of Section
20P of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes, or be subject to both such
fine and imprisonment in the discretion of the court.
B. Every county Department of Human Services office in this
state shall conspicuously post a sign in an area clearly visible to
all visitors of the county office which shall provide information
about how to report individuals who have obtained public assistance
through fraudulent means or who have used public assistance in a
manner not consistent with its intended use. The sign shall make
reference to the Department of Human Services fraud hotline and
provide the current phone number for the hotline. The sign shall
also contain notification that all reports to the hotline may be
filed anonymously by persons suspecting fraudulent activity.
C. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the identity of
any person making a report on another individual who may have
obtained public assistance through fraudulent means, or an
individual using public assistance in a manner not consistent with
its intended use, shall not be revealed without the permission of
the person making the report.
Added by State Question No. 226, Initiative Petition No. 155, § 26,
adopted July 7, 1936. Amended by Laws 1973, c. 60, § 1, emerg. eff.
Oklahoma Statutes - Title 56. Poor Persons Page 61
April 27, 1973; Laws 1985, c. 58, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 1985; Laws 1997,
c. 133, § 499, eff. July 1, 1999; Laws 1999, c. 17, § 2, emerg. eff.
April 5, 1999; Laws 1999, 1st Ex.Sess., c. 5, § 364, eff. July 1,
1999; Laws 2013, c. 67, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2013; Laws 2025, c. 486, §
719, eff. Jan. 1, 2026.
NOTE: Laws 1998, 1st Ex.Sess., c. 2, § 23 amended the effective
date of Laws 1997, c. 133, § 499 from July 1, 1998, to July 1, 1999.
Status: in_force · Read it on the official government site
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