WASHINGTON—Subcommittee on Government Operations Chairman Pete Sessions (R-Texas) today announced a hearing on “Emerging Fraud Threats and the Evolving Fraud Landscape.” This builds on the House Oversight Committee’s larger efforts to identify and eliminate fraud within the federal government. During the hearing, members will examine the use and effectiveness of digital identity verification platforms to combat fraud threats and protect American taxpayers. Members will also discuss how to identify, monitor, and prevent emerging fraud threats, as well as understand how these threats continue to change over time.
“Federal government agencies must be up to date with the latest resources to adequately detect and prevent fraud. Hackers and fraudsters are turning to increasingly sophisticated methods to break into federal government systems and steal taxpayer benefits. Identity verification…
These frauds exploit emotional vulnerability and trust rather than technical weaknesses.
- Romance Scams: Scammers build long-term online relationships with victims, eventually fabricating a “crisis” (medical emergency, legal trouble, or travel costs) that requires the victim to send money.
- Pig Butchering: A hybrid scam where the criminal builds a romantic or platonic relationship to eventually “tutor” the victim in a fraudulent cryptocurrency investment.