US Treasury’s AI tools recover $1 billion in fraudulent payments

The U.S. Treasury Department has ramped up efforts to combat fraudulent payments by deploying artificial intelligence to detect suspicious transactions. This new approach has led to the prevention and recovery of over $4 billion in fraudulent payments during fiscal year 2024, a significant increase from the previous year.

The Treasury’s Office of Payment Integrity reported that $1 billion of the recovered funds were directly attributed to the AI-based system implemented at the start of the 2023 fiscal year. Last year, the department recovered just over $652 million, showcasing a six-fold improvement in fraud detection efficiency.

Officials cited an increase in fraudulent activity since the pandemic as the main reason for adopting AI tools, which have been instrumental in identifying and stopping high-risk transactions.

In addition to detecting fraud, the AI system also enhanced payment scheduling processes, resulting in an additional recovery of $180 million. Treasury officials emphasized the department’s commitment to protecting taxpayer money and preventing improper payments. Officials also noted that, while AI is used to combat fraud, it is often leveraged by fraudsters as well, leading to an ongoing battle to stay ahead of sophisticated schemes.

In partnership with law enforcement, the Treasury’s efforts have led to multiple arrests and active investigations. The department plans to continue expanding its use of AI tools to safeguard taxpayer funds, particularly as online payment fraud is projected to exceed $362 billion by 2028.

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