Fraud Volume and Costs Have Risen Sharply – The average monthly rate of applications and post-issuance cases determined as fraud has doubled since 2024. Digital channels are creating new vulnerabilities while sophisticated criminal networks exploit electronic benefit transfer (EBT) systems through account takeovers, synthetic identities, and dual participation schemes.

Integration Creates Both Risk and Opportunity – While Integrated Eligibility Systems (IES) streamline services, they also introduce additional access points for fraudsters. The cost of fraud can rise to $4.55 per dollar lost when IES covers five or more programs. However, agencies combining IES with robust cross-program coordination and identity verification achieve significantly lower fraud costs.

Modernization and Quality Data Are Your Best Defense – Agencies overwhelmed by application volume and poor data quality experience more delays and payment errors. Those implementing comprehensive fraud frameworks and modernization strategies report fraud costs as low as $3.98 per dollar lost – representing effective fraud management despite rising threats.

Delays and Errors Impact Everyone – Application processing delays don't just hurt beneficiaries – they create opportunities for fraudsters. Agencies meeting modernization benchmarks are significantly more likely to meet required processing timelines while maintaining program integrity.

This comprehensive 54-page report provides the data-driven insights and proven strategies you need to protect program resources while serving eligible families effectively.