Keeping Fraud in Government Benefits Programs at Bay

Government benefits programs are designed to provide vital assistance to those who need it most. Unfortunately, many of these programs are up against tech-savvy criminals devising fraudulent schemes that are siphoning taxpayer dollars away from legitimate recipients. In fact, these programs lose billions of dollars to fraud or “improper payments” every year – the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) distributed $2.6 billion in wrongful payments in 2013 alone.

While the threat of deception and payment abuse is nothing new, technology is changing the game. As government agencies move from paper to electronic benefits transfer (EBT) and payment cards, fraud threats are more sophisticated than ever before.

One of the key elements to protecting benefits programs from fraud is reducing it through early detection and deflection. By remaining vigilant and investing in the right combination of data analytics, fraud prevention tools and expertise, your agency will be better prepared to deflect these ever-evolving threats. In our recent whitepaper, Fighting Fraud in Government Benefits Programs, we discuss the most prevalent types of fraud found in government benefit programs as well as our top strategies for detection and prevention.

While the complete elimination of all fraud risk is unachievable, organizations can take steps to reduce their exposure. By finding a technology partner who offers a full portfolio of tools, a highly developed analytics practice and a deep understanding of the intricacies of government benefits programs you can take a stronger stand in the war against fraud – both protecting your funding and the people you serve.