Forensics Journal - Stevenson University 2014 | Page 17

STEVENSON UNIVERSITY

the Federal Government is losing large amounts of money to fraud.
In addition, the fraud data collected may not be as accurate due to
cases of undetected fraud.

(Ballou). The applicants may have to provide further documentation
if they claim they are no longer working, but there is employment
showing in the previous quarter. If a person did not work in the
previous quarters but is currently employed, the system will not show
this information. In addition, the system only shows employment
in the State of Maryland (Ballou). MABS is not able to reflect work
information for an applicant working across state lines.

Another problem with the EBT system is that states claim the EBT
management reports are tedious and “time-consuming to review”
(“State Fraud Detection” 9). They prefer to use their own methods
of fraud detection (“State Fraud Detection” 9). In many cases, FNS
and the states have online sites and telephone hotlines for the public to report suspected fraud (“Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
Program”). The fraud investigators also rely on the administering
offices to refer potential fraud cases (Ballou). Another method of
fraud detection used is when states concentrate efforts in areas where
they believe fraud may be more prevalent (“State Fraud Detection”
9). These may be areas where trafficking occurred in the past and are
identified as “high risk” areas (“USDA Announces Latest Actions”).

There is also a nationwide IEVS available to states called “The Work
Number” (“Verification Services”). “The Work Number” is an online
site that provides employment information for individuals in any state
in the United States (“Verification Services”). The applicant’s Social
Security number is entered and the administering office can access the
applicant’s employment information (Malone 1). This is beneficial
since the administering agencies can verify work in any state at the
time of application. The drawback with Work Number is its reliance
on employers to sign up with the site in order to have their information available (“Verification Servic