Legal Definitions - computer matching

Computer matching is the process of comparing records in two different computer systems to see if they contain the same information. This is often used by the government to identify cases where people are receiving benefits they are not entitled to or claiming tax deductions they should not be claiming.

• The government might use computer matching to find people who are both employed and receiving welfare payments. This would help them identify cases where someone is receiving benefits they are not entitled to.
• Another example is when divorced parents both claim the same child on their income tax returns. Computer matching can help the government identify these cases and prevent fraud.

These examples illustrate how computer matching can be used to identify cases where people are receiving benefits or claiming deductions they should not be. By comparing records in different systems, the government can identify cases of fraud and take action to prevent it.