Stolen IDs sold for ‘Happy Meal’ prices fuel billions in US benefit fraud

Buying a stolen identity can cost less than a fast-food meal, enabling criminals to use AI and internet tutorials to file fraudulent benefit claims from anywhere in the world, a former inspector general warned Congress on Wednesday.Lawmakers are already ramping up scrutiny of fraud in major federal aid programs — including unemployment, Medicaid and food assistance — as criminals leverage AI, stolen identities and online tools to exploit systems and drain billions in taxpayer dollars.Federal watchdogs previously estimated that more than $100 billion in pandemic-era unemployment benefits alone...

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