Fraud Prevention Video

About the Program

Category: Civic Education and Public Information (Best in Category)

Year: 2015

Hamilton County JFS produced a creative video designed to educate consumers about proper use of the Ohio Direction Card, which is used by food assistance recipients. It is estimated 3 percent or more of the transactions with the card are fraudulent. The food assistance program in Hamilton County is a $223 million annual program used by one in six county residents, so even a small percentage of fraud within the program is very costly to taxpayers. Consumers are expected to follow certain rules in the program and with their Ohio Direction Card, which is used to purchase food. For example, they cannot sell their card or use it to buy cigarettes, alcohol or already-prepared food. They cannot have a card in one state and live in another. They have to report income changes, marital changes and household composition changes because those changes may make them ineligible or reduce their benefits. How do we reach those consumers to reinforce that message? We decided to use the large video display systems in our lobbies, where consumers frequently visit to apply for assistance, verify their eligibility, correct errors, renew assistance, etc. The one catch was that the display terminals did not have sound, so the video had to be made visually simple so the message came across even without sound. The total cost of the 3-minute video was $5,300. To cut down on costs and promote morale in the agency, employees were used as actors. To date, it has been viewed by approximately 375,000 consumers visiting the agency’s lobbies. It has also been pushed out via social media.