EAGLE-eyed residents are being asked to play their part in clamping down on benefit fraud.
Wychavon District Council is planning to issue residents with a postcard this month urging them to report people they know are making fraudulent claims.
The council has taken part in a nationwide fraud detection and deterrent programme organised by the Audit Commission, in which various agencies have supplied data that has been cross-checked to identify frauds.
Modest
The council says it detected £20,000 of fraud and overpayments - a small slice of the national figure of more than £50 million.
"Although Wychavon's losses are quite modest compared to the national figure, fraud is still costing the taxpayer money," said Liz Dyde, Wychavon's head of revenues.
"These data-matching techniques mean we are closing in on potential fraud cases, but we still need residents to play their part.
"At Wychavon, we take a very proactive anti-fraud stance. We have already had successful prosecutions."
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