Safeguarding Veterans’ Benefits with Data-Driven Solutions
Each year, the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) disburses more than $150 billion in benefits, a lifeline connecting Veterans and their families to essential services. But this effort faces a significant challenge — a persistent threat from fraudsters who cause VBA to lose hundreds of millions of dollars annually.
The Challenge
VBA was looking for a solution that would curb these losses. They sought a partner to help safeguard Veterans’ benefits. This is where ReefPoint Group entered the picture. Many of us at ReefPoint Group are Veterans ourselves, so this project hit close to home. With a shared commitment to supporting those who served, we worked to fortify VBA against fraud and ensure the seamless flow of funds to those who rightfully deserve it.
THE SOLUTION
ReefPoint Group’s team of dedicated data scientists recognized that a transformative, long-term solution was needed to combat fraud. And that solution could not burden the already stretched VBA staff. Here’s how we tackled the challenge:
Engaged the Community.
We collaborated with Veterans, health care providers, and VA administrators to understand their unique needs, ensuring that our solutions were not just effective but also tailored to maximize value for Veterans.
Put Machine Learning in Action.
Leveraging the power of machine learning, we developed and deployed a system to detect fraudulent direct deposit charges. This innovative solution identified attempts to redirect monthly benefit payments away from Veterans’ accounts and flagged 98% of suspicious charges. This provided the VBA and Veterans with an unprecedented peace of mind.
Applied Network Analysis Expertise.
Our data scientists applied custom network analysis algorithms to uncover coordinated operations behind identified fraud cases. This enabled our team to offer a comprehensive approach to tackling fraud rings.
Pursued Opportunities for Collaboration.
We worked closely with the National Call Center, VA.gov, and other stakeholders to develop policies that further reduced fraud. Our efforts emphasized the importance of a united front against this common adversary.
The Impact
Our collective efforts resulted in significant positive impacts across VBA:
- Safeguarded Veterans’ benefits by providing better protections.
- Streamlined the processes for identifying and remediating fraud, leading to quicker resolutions and more efficient use of VBA staff time.
- Gave VBA and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General the ability to pursue and prosecute fraud rings, so they could collect damages for the harm inflicted on Veterans and their families.
- Stopped accepting a direct deposit change paper form commonly used by fraudsters, which decreased monthly fraud cases by over 50%.
