The Treasury Department announced that its new verification process identified more than 4,900 government payments, worth about $99 million, intended for deceased recipients.
This review covered over 885 million payments totaling approximately $2.77 trillion.
The big picture: The flagged payments were returned to their originating federal agencies for further review before any funds were distributed.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent highlighted the achievement as part of fulfilling President Trump’s directive to curb improper payments and fraud before funds are released.
The verification effort is also linked to Vice President JD Vance’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, aiming to close longstanding gaps in the federal payment system.
Driving the news: The Treasury expanded fraud detection using its “Do Not Pay” program and advanced payment verification technologies.
In February, the Ending Improper Payments to Deceased People Act was signed into law, granting the Treasury permanent access to the Social Security Administration’s Full Death Master File for payment verification.
The Treasury initially accessed this database through a three-year pilot program authorized in 2021, which estimated $330 million in net benefits between 2024 and 2026 from reducing improper payments.