Equifax helps public sector reduce cost of fraud

Equifax has been selected by the Procurement Services Group (PSG), part of Commercial Services which is a business wholly owned by Kent County Council, to provide checks designed to clamp down on fraud.

UK organisations lose millions of pounds every year due to fraudulent or deceptive claims, and public sector bodies are major targets for fraudsters who claim a range of benefits to which they are not entitled. Under the new agreement, Equifax is one of the approved providers of Person Checks, and now plays a key role in highlighting potential fraud and recovering fraudulently claimed benefits.

The Kent Community Framework Agreement, a list of approved providers for tackling different types of fraud, has been compiled by the PSG to help public sector and third sector organisations in Kent find the best suppliers and partners. Equifax is one of three organisations approved to carry out Person Checks on behalf of organisations in the Public and Third Sectors, as well as other nominated and publicly owned organisations, to help uncover and tackle the growing issue of benefit fraud.

“With Government cuts putting a strain on our budgets, it’s more important than ever that we identify fraudulent and deceptive claims and claimants before benefits are delivered,” says Ian Day of the Procurement Services Group. “It’s also crucial to be able to identify any existing or past claims and payments that are obtained through fraud or deception, allowing us to take appropriate action and recover this money. Our agreement with Equifax forms a key part of a series of new measures to reduce financial losses as a result of fraud.”

Equifax will carry out a range of checks and searches on individuals and groups of claimants, on behalf of the community of approved organisations. These checks include verification of identity, addresses and contact details. Equifax will also highlight potential housing fraud, allowing the local authority to spot evidence and take the necessary steps.