Face-recognition software has resulted in at least 135 cases of suspected fraud being referred to the Department of Social Protection’s investigation unit or to the gardaí, with the department claiming it has already saved almost €1.7m as a result, writes Noel Baker, Senior Reporter.

According to the department, 14 cases brought as a result of the use of the software have been finalised in court, the first in January of 2015, with custodial sentences handed down in nine of those cases.

Figures provided by the department showed that as of the end of October last year 135 cases of suspected fraud — detected via Cogent Facial Image Matching Software since its implementation — have been referred to the Department’s Special Investigations Unit and/or the gardaí.

While 11 cases have been concluded as no issue has arisen with regard to identity, 14 cases have been finalised in court and in 24 cases, formal legal proceedings have been initiated via the DPP under Criminal Justice Law (Theft & Fraud Offences).

According to the department, another 71 cases are under investigation.

It also said 15 cases have not proceeded for a number of reasons, mainly due to the person leaving the jurisdiction. A departmental spokesperson said: “Recorded savings from cessation of related social welfare payments (mainly Jobseekers/ rent supplement) are €375,148. Fraud overpayments of €1,309,698 have or are being assessed in these cases.”

In one case that was concluded last October the judge remarked how many people coming before the courts were now being detected through facial imaging systems. Judge Melanie Greally, who was hearing a case in Dublin, said: “Persons who think that they will get away with social welfare fraud need to wake up.”

According to the Department of Social Protection, the Standard Authentication Framework Environment programme, which involves the use of the public services card to replace existing cards such as social services cards and free travel passes, has also reduced the potential for forgery and fraudulent use.

As part of the introduction of the public services card, the department invested in facial recognition software, Cogent Facial Image Matching Software, to ensure that multiple or fraudulent identities can be detected at the point of registration.

According to the departmental spokesperson: “Cogent Facial Image Matching Software involves comparing the photograph captured during the registration process with all photographs held on the department’s database.

“This ensures the individual has not already been registered for a public services card using a different PPS number, or a different identity dataset. This gives an enhanced level of assurance and is a key tool in preventing and detecting identity fraud.”

The software uses a biometric template of a human face digitised from a photograph and through a computer algorithm, the system attempts to identify someone by measuring certain features of their face, like the distance between their eyes or the width of their nose. These features are then used to search for other images with matching features.

Every new photograph captured is compared with all other photographs on the database. Where a match arises these cases are immediately sent to the department’s special investigation unit.