Welcome to Benefit Sentinel: Your Ultimate Fraud Protection Solution

Are you ready to safeguard your operations against potential fraud risks? Look no further than Benefit Sentinel – the industry-leading platform that empowers you to verify beneficiary rolls with unmatched accuracy and ease.

Why Choose Benefit Sentinel?

At Benefit Sentinel, we understand that fraud protection is paramount for both financial and non-financial operations. Our cutting-edge platform leverages the official Limited Access Death Master File (LADMF) maintained by the Social Security Administration (SSA) to offer you an unparalleled solution for vetting beneficiary roles. When possible, we also supplement the LADMF data with many additonal data points.

Key Features:

  1. Comprehensive Beneficiary Vetting: Gain peace of mind by thoroughly verifying your beneficiary roles against the official LADMF, minimizing the risk of granting services or sending checks to decedents.

  2. Multiple Access Options: We cater to your convenience. Whether you prefer ad hoc queries through your browser, batch processing via uploaded Excel files, or scheduled batch processing, Benefit Sentinel has you covered.

  3. Seamless Integration: Our powerful web services enable effortless integration with your applications through our web API. Modify your processes, access the LADMF and supplemental data, and enhance your fraud protection capabilities with ease.

  4. Benefit Sentinel Application: Need a comprehensive onsite solution that's ready to go? Benefit Sentinel, our plug-n-play application, runs on your site and communicates with our web server on a user-defined schedule. It requires minimal IT support to get up and running. It's your all-in-one answer to robust fraud protection.

  5. Unbeatable Prices: We believe in providing top-tier fraud protection without breaking the bank. Our services come at the lowest prices in the market, coupled with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Why Trust Benefit Sentinel?

  • Proven Accuracy: Our platform is built on the foundation of the official LADMF, ensuring the highest level of accuracy in beneficiary verification.

  • Advanced Technology: We harness the power of cutting-edge technology to bring you a user-friendly interface that streamlines your fraud protection processes.

  • Industry Experience: With years of experience, we've fine-tuned our platform to meet the diverse needs of both financial and non-financial operations.

  • Customer-Centric Approach: Your satisfaction is our priority. Our customer support team is here to assist you every step of the way, ensuring a seamless experience.

Ready to Take the Next Step?

Protect your operations from potential fraud risks with Benefit Sentinel. Whether you're a financial institution, a government agency, or any organization concerned about fraud, we have the tools you need.

Follow the main menu for further information about each service and take advantage of our 30-day money-back guarantee.

Secure your operations with confidence. Choose Benefit Sentinel today.

In the meantime, give it a try.

Announcements and FAQs

DMF Cloud Services Endorsed by Fight Voter Fraud, Inc.™

Fight Voter Fraud, Inc.™ Endorses Benefit Sentinel

Established in 2019 under the leadership of CEO Linda Szynkowicz, Fight Voter Fraud, Inc. is a non-profit organization recognized under the 501 (c) 4 statute. The organization champions the principle: "One vote for one legal voter."™

Despite Connecticut's sizable voter registration list, boasting over 2.5 million voters, this ideal was not always realized. Through meticulous forensic audit methods and investigative strategies, Fight Voter Fraud, Inc.™ has pinpointed upwards of 230,000 voters who potentially shouldn't be on the voter rolls.

Recently, the organization augmented its forensic program by incorporating our Plug-n-Play product. This facilitates an automated cross-referencing of voter records with deceased individuals as listed in the Social Security Administration’s official Limited Access Death Master File (LADMF). Plug-n-Play is currently being used to vet over 6.7 million voter registration records for the state of North Carolina.

We are proud and honored to receive an endorsement for this product by Fight Voter Fraud, Inc.™

For a deeper dive into the mission and achievements of Fight Voter Fraud, Inc.™, we invite you to explore www.FightVoterFraud.org.

DMF Cloud Services Now Available Via GSA Contract

Benefit Sentinel Fraud Prevention Services Now Available Via GSA Contract

We are pleased to announce that our Benefit Sentinel Fraud Prevention Services products are now available to States and Municipalities via the General Services Administration (GSA) Schedule, contract number 47QTCA20D007F.

This availability simplifies the procurement process to get these vetting tools in operation to help you fight fraud in all benefit programs.

What is the Limited Access Death Master File (LADMF)?

The Limited Access Death Master File (LADMF) is a crucial database maintained by the Social Security Administration (SSA), providing information about deceased individuals with social security numbers (SSNs), full names, date of birth and date of death.

The LADMF plays a vital role in fraud prevention in various sectors, including voter registration, benefit programs, financial institutions, insurance companies, and genealogical research.

The LADMF contains over 102 million records. During the last year years, approximately 500,000 decedent records have been added each calendar year.

For approximately 60% of the LADMF records, data from SSA is supplemented with one or more of the following: city, state and country of birth; city, state and country or death; street, city, county, state and country of last residence; veteran indicator; name of spouse; funeral home; cemetery name and plot; burial type and date of interment; and bio.

What industries benefit from DMF Web Services?

The list of industries that can benefit is extensive:

  • Insurance Industry
  • Financial Services
  • Pension and Retirement Funds
  • Federal and State Government Agencies
  • Healthcare Providers
  • Estate and Trust Management
  • Credit Reporting Agencies
  • Real Estate
  • E-commerce and Retail
  • Telecommunications
  • Utilities
  • Voter Registration
  • Advertising and Direct Marketing

Insurance Industry

  • Fraud Prevention: Avoiding fraudulent claims can save millions for insurance companies.
  • Operational Efficiency: Streamlined claim verification processes can reduce the time and manpower required for manual checks.
  • Reputation Management: Ensuring timely and accurate claim disbursements can enhance customer trust and brand reputation.
  • Regulatory Compliance: Staying compliant with industry regulations regarding claim verifications.

Financial Services

  • Fraud Prevention: Reducing the risk of identity theft and fraudulent transactions.
  • Operational Efficiency: Streamlining the verification process for account activities and transactions.
  • Customer Trust: Ensuring that funds and investments are secure and managed with integrity.
  • Regulatory Compliance: Meeting industry standards and regulations for customer data verification.

Pension and Retirement Funds

  • Cost Savings: Preventing overpayments and ensuring accurate disbursement of benefits.
  • Operational Efficiency: Streamlining beneficiary verification processes.
  • Beneficiary Trust: Ensuring that beneficiaries receive their rightful benefits in a timely manner.
  • Regulatory Compliance: Adhering to regulations regarding pension disbursements.

Federal and State Government Agencies

  • Cost Savings: Avoiding unnecessary disbursements and reducing administrative costs.
  • Operational Efficiency: Streamlining beneficiary verification for various welfare programs.
  • Public Trust: Ensuring transparency and accuracy in public fund disbursements.
  • Regulatory Compliance: Meeting standards for public fund management.

Healthcare Providers

  • Cost Savings: Preventing billing errors and fraudulent claims.
  • Operational Efficiency: Streamlining patient verification processes.
  • Patient Trust: Ensuring accurate billing and care provision.
  • Regulatory Compliance: Adhering to healthcare billing standards.

Estate and Trust Management

  • Asset Protection: Ensuring assets are distributed correctly and not misappropriated.
  • Operational Efficiency: Streamlining beneficiary verification for asset distributions.
  • Beneficiary Trust: Ensuring timely and accurate distribution of assets.
  • Legal Compliance: Meeting legal standards for estate and trust management.

Credit Reporting Agencies

  • Data Accuracy: Ensuring credit reports are accurate and up-to-date.
  • Operational Efficiency: Streamlining data verification processes.
  • Consumer Trust: Providing accurate credit information to consumers and businesses.
  • Regulatory Compliance: Adhering to data reporting standards.

Real Estate

  • Transaction Integrity: Ensuring property transactions are legitimate and accurate.
  • Operational Efficiency: Streamlining property ownership verification.
  • Buyer/Seller Trust: Ensuring transparent and accurate property transactions.
  • Legal Compliance: Meeting property transaction regulations.

E-commerce and Retail

  • Fraud Prevention: Reducing the risk of fraudulent online transactions.
  • Operational Efficiency: Streamlining customer verification processes.
  • Customer Trust: Ensuring secure and legitimate transactions.
  • Regulatory Compliance: Adhering to e-commerce transaction standards.

Telecommunications

  • Cost Savings: Avoiding billing errors and unnecessary costs.
  • Operational Efficiency: Streamlining customer verification processes.
  • Customer Trust: Ensuring accurate billing and service provision.
  • Regulatory Compliance: Meeting telecommunications billing standards.

Utilities

  • Cost Savings: Preventing billing errors and overcharges.
  • Operational Efficiency: Streamlining customer verification processes.
  • Customer Trust: Ensuring accurate and timely billing.
  • Regulatory Compliance: Adhering to utility billing standards.

Voter Registration

  • Integrity of the Electoral Process: By cross-referencing voter rolls with the DMF, electoral bodies can prevent potential voter fraud where votes might be cast in the name of deceased individuals.
  • Accurate Voter Counts: Ensuring that only living individuals are on the voter rolls can provide a more accurate count of eligible voters.
  • Operational Efficiency: Regularly updating voter rolls by cross-referencing with the DMF can make the process of maintaining accurate and up-to-date voter lists more efficient.
  • Public Trust: Demonstrating proactive measures to maintain the integrity of voter rolls can enhance public trust in the electoral process.

Advertising and Direct Marketing

  • Cost Savings: Sending out brochures, catalogs, and other promotional materials is expensive. By ensuring that these materials aren't sent to deceased individuals, companies can save significant amounts on printing, postage, and other associated costs.
  • Reputation Management: Sending promotional materials to deceased individuals can be distressing for their family members and can reflect poorly on the company. By avoiding such situations, companies can maintain a more positive brand image.
  • Data Hygiene: Regularly cleaning and updating mailing lists by cross-referencing with the DMF can improve the overall quality of the data. This can lead to better targeting and higher response rates for marketing campaigns.
  • Improved ROI: By ensuring that promotional materials are only sent to living potential customers, companies can achieve a higher return on investment (ROI) for their marketing campaigns.
  • Legal and Compliance: In some jurisdictions, there may be regulations or guidelines about sending promotional materials to deceased individuals. Cross-referencing with the DMF can help companies stay compliant.
  • Enhanced Personalization: Companies that use data-driven strategies for personalization can further refine their approaches by ensuring they're not targeting deceased individuals. This can lead to more effective and personalized marketing campaigns. 

What query arguments do you support?

 

What query arguments do you support?

Manual Query

  • By Social Security Number
  • By Last Name, First Name and Date of Birth
  • By Last Name, First Name and Year of Birth
  • By Last Name, First Name and Year of Death

Batch, Plug-n-Play Web Service and DIY Web Service

  • By Social Security Number
  • By Last Name, First Name and Date of Birth

 

When a query is made, and there is a match, what data is returned?

When there's a match for your query, the system returns the following data:

Basic Decedent Information:

  • Social Security Number (SSN)
  • State that issued the SSN
  • Decedent Name: Last Name, Middle Name, Last Name Suffix, First Name
  • Date of Birth
  • Date of Death
  • Method Used to Verify Death:
    • Death Certificate
    • Family member or family representative
    • Not provided

Additional Details:

  • Record Type: (In a few instances, there may be more than one record on file for a decedent)
    • Initial
    • Change
    • Removed
  • Zip Code Last Residence: Available for about 8.5 million decedents.
  • Zip Code Lump Sum: Reflects the data for the last Lump Sum payment, available for about 8.5 million decedents.

Warnings:

  • Social Security Number:

    • SSN Area Number reserved by SSA
    • Entire SSN Number reserved by SSA
    • SSN Group Number too high (checked only for decedents born before June 1, 1970)
  • Date of Birth:

    • Not provided
    • Month and year provided, but not day
    • Day adjusted to fit within the month’s valid range (e.g., 4/31/2020 changed to 4/30/2020)
  • Date of Death:

    • Month and year provided, but not day
    • Day adjusted to fit within the month’s valid range (e.g., 4/31/2020 changed to 4/30/2020)

Supplemental Data (available for approximately 60 million records, data may include):

  • Location of Birth: city, state and country
  • Location of Death: city, state and country
  • Last Residence: street, city, county, state and country
  • Spouse: Last Name, Middle Name, First Name
  • Veteran: indicator
  • Funeral Home
  • Cemetery
  • Plot
  • Burial Type
  • Interment Date
  • Bio

Are all Social Security Numbers (SSNs) valid? What is the composition of the SSN?

Validity of SSNs:

  • Not all SSNs are valid. Specific numbers are flagged as invalid for various reasons, which include:
    • Special Areas:
      • Areas 700-728: Used for Railroad Workers until 1964.
      • Areas 900-998: Reserved for internal SSA programs.
      • Areas 675-699 & 729-899: Reserved for future SSA use.
    • Advertisement & Promotions:
      • SSNs ranging from 987-65-4320 to 987-65-4329: Reserved for ads.
      • SSN 219-09-9999: Used in a 1940 SSA pamphlet.
      • SSN 078-05-1120: Sample card used by a wallet manufacturer in 1938, which has been falsely used by over 40,000 people.

Composition of the SSN:

The nine-digit SSN has three distinct parts:

  1. Area Number (First 3 digits):

    • Originally represented the state where the card was issued.
    • Post-1972, it's based on the ZIP code from the application's mailing address.
    • Area Numbers aren't strictly indicative of an applicant's state of residence.
    • Numbers generally increased from east coast (lowest) to west coast (highest).
  2. Group Number (Middle 2 digits):

    • Ranges from 01 to 99.
    • Odd numbers from 01-09 were issued first, followed by even numbers from 10-98 for each Area Number.
    • Post all assignments in an area, even groups 02-08 are used, then odd groups 11-99.
    • Before June 25, 2011, a "Highest Valid Group" list was maintained. SSNs issued after this date through random assignment made this list redundant. Our DMF service issues warnings if an SSN's Group number rank surpasses the highest rank before June 25, 2011.
  3. Serial Number (Last 4 digits):

    • Runs consecutively from 0001 to 9999 within each group.

What categories of query services do you provide and how are they priced?

Categories include:

  • Manual Query
  • Batch
  • Scheduled Batch
  • Plug-n-Play Web Service
  • Do It Yourself (DIY) Web Service

All categories are provided on a 1-year subscription basis. (Please see our website for current pricing.)

Pricing is based on the number of queries. Only buy what you need. Any unused queries or query results that are not used by the end of the subscription period expire.

Manual Query: Provides for an unlimited number of queries for each concurrent user.

Query arguments supported include:

  • By Social Security Number (SSN)
  • By Last Name, First Name and Date of Birth (DOB)
  • By Last Name, First Name and Year of Birth
  • By Last Name, First Name and Year of Death

Batch: Provides SSN and Last Name, First Name and DOB queries. Each batch consists of a single Excel file created by the user.

The completed batch is uploaded to the DMF Cloud Services server. It is named by the user and is immediately available for processing.

Users indicate if they want all batch results returned by the run, or only matches. This indicator may be changed as needed.

Batches are run on an as-needed basis. Run results are emailed to individuals designated by the user to receive results.

Users can define and upload an unlimited number of batches.

Pricing is based on the number of queries needed.

Scheduled Batch: Same as Batch, with the exception that the batch can be scheduled and will be run automatically.

The completed batch is uploaded to the DMF Cloud Services server. It is named by the user and the run frequency is set. Frequency options include:

  • Daily
  • Weekly
  • Bi-Weekly
  • Monthly
  • Quarterly
  • Semi-Annual

Users indicate if they want all batch results returned by the run, or only matches. This indicator may be changed as needed.

Run results are emailed to individuals designated by the user to receive results. The batch is immediately rescheduled for its next run based on its run frequency.

Plug-n-Play Web Service: We provide a Windows Service application that runs on your computer equipment and accessed our Benefit Sentinel Server on the schedule you define. You divide your data into user defined tranches. Each tranche is assigned a Point of Contact (POC). Tranches can be activated/deactivated as needed. Matches that are found are written back to your database (either MySQL, Oracle, or SQL Server. This service can be run in the background on a 24x7 basis.

Query arguments supported include:

  • By Social Security Number (SSN)
  • By Last Name, First Name and Date of Birth (DOB)

Do It Yourself Web Service: With this service your IT team sets up and manages your own in-house application that accesses our Benefit Sentinel Server.

Query arguments supported include:

  • By Social Security Number (SSN)
  • By Last Name, First Name and Date of Birth (DOB)

How do I monitor my subscription?

Here's a revised version of your FAQ:


How do I monitor my subscription?

To keep you updated on your subscription activity, we provide a monthly Order Activity Report. This comprehensive report helps you track and manage your order, user assignments, and batch details.

What does the Order Activity Report include?

  1. Order Overview:

    • Order Number
    • Subscription Start and End Dates
    • Total Users/Batches linked to the Order
  2. Subscription Usage Details:

    • Queries/Results or Named Users Purchased
    • Cumulative Query/Result Activity
    • Recent Activity for the closing period
    • Remaining Queries/Results
  3. Breakdown of Ad Hoc Vetting Arguments: (Only if the order includes arguments such as by SSN, by Last Name and Date of Birth, and by Last Name, Suffix, and Date of Birth.)

    • Total and closing period counts for each argument category.
  4. Detailed User Activity: An attached Excel file provides an in-depth view of each user's activity, both cumulative and for the recent period.

  5. Batch Order Activity (For Manual Batch and Scheduled Batch Orders): Another attached Excel file enumerates activity details for each batch, including both cumulative data and recent period figures.

Stay informed about your subscription's performance and make the most out of your investment with our monthly reports.

Can more than one person make queries?

 

Absolutely.

  • Account Administrator Role: The person who initially registered your company is designated as the "Account Administrator."
    • Responsibilities: This individual is solely responsible for placing orders, adding new users, and activating/deactivating user accounts.
  • Multiple User Access: The Account Administrator can add numerous users to the company account.
    • Order Assignments: Each user can be linked to one or more active orders.
    • Flexibility: Users can be activated or deactivated based on requirements, ensuring flexibility and control.

This looks interesting, how do I get started?

Starting with our services is simple and straightforward. Here's a step-by-step guide to get you going:

  1. Register: Navigate to the top of our Home Page and click on "Register". Fill in the required details and we'll send you a Welcome document via email. Rest assured, your registration information is confidential.

  2. Explore Services: Once registered, explore the different types of query services available from our main menu.

  3. Choose What's Right for You: Understand which DMF Cloud Service matches your requirements. Estimate your anticipated usage and review the tiered pricing.

  4. Make a Purchase: Opt for the service that best aligns with your needs. We accept Master Card, Visa, American Express, and PayPal. As soon as your payment is approved, your annual subscription begins. You'll receive an Order Confirmation email with a comprehensive User Manual.

  5. Add Multiple Users: You might need multiple users to access the services. Your Account Administrator, the individual who placed the Order, can easily set up additional users.

  6. 100% Money-Back Guarantee: We're confident in our offerings. If you're not satisfied, we offer a full refund within the first 30 calendar days of your purchase.

Unlike many competitors, our service is tailored to your needs, ensuring you only pay for what you use without unnecessary bundled extras.

Get started now and make the most of our platform!

Who is the Competition?

Our primary competitor in the market is NTIS. Their services and pricing can be explored at NTIS Services.

We pride ourselves on our commitment to providing exceptional value, and we guarantee to match or exceed any price or service offered by NTIS.

Another notable competitor in the sector is HIPPAOne, which offers access to the DMF and can be explored at HIPPAOne Services.

For federal agencies, or those that are federally-funded state agencies, the 'Do Not Pay' platform is worth considering. More information is available at Do Not Pay.

Alternatively, some may opt to establish their own service. This would necessitate annual certification, triennial attestation, the purchase of the base Limited Access Death Master File (LADMF), and an annual subscription to maintain the LADMF's current status. Detailed requirements are available at LADMF NTIS.

However, it's crucial to be aware that many of our competitors often package their products with superfluous services. We stand out by ensuring that we provide only what is essential to our clients, ensuring optimal value and efficiency."

We're a state agency, interested in vetting our voter registration rolls, what should we do?

Firstly, review your purchase options with your Purchasing Department.

  1. Direct Purchase:

    • The most straightforward method to place an order is using your state-issued credit card through our standard ordering process.
  2. GSA eBuy System:

    • If a direct purchase isn't feasible, consider procuring our services via the GSA eBuy system. Our contract details are:
      • Contract Number: 47QTCA20D007F
      • Special Item Number (SIN): 54151S
      • Service Name: Death Master File (DMF) Cloud Product / Service Pricing.
    • Once your order is placed on eBuy, reach out to us either by email at info@DMFCloudServices.com or phone at (540) 200-8613. We'll guide you through the necessary steps to activate your order.
  3. Need Assistance?:

    • If you encounter any challenges or have questions about the eBuy system, their customer service is available at 877-472-3777. Choose option #2, followed by option #2 again, for guidance.

This format breaks down the information into easily digestible steps, providing clarity and ease of understanding for readers.