The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has introduced a series of new verification protocols aimed at preventing fraud within its loan programs and ensuring that financial support reaches only eligible American small business owners.
The changes follow recent findings by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which uncovered widespread abuse of SBA loan programs. According to data from the U.S. Social Security Administration, over $630 million in loans were granted to applicants with birthdates suggesting they were either younger than 11 or older than 115 years old.
Key measures now in place include citizenship and date-of-birth verification as part of the SBA loan application process. These updates are intended to safeguard the integrity of the agency’s programs and restore public trust.
Fraud Prevention Measures
The SBA now requires lenders to verify the citizenship status of all applicants to ensure businesses are not owned wholly or partially by illegal aliens. This new protocol aligns with an executive order aimed at ending taxpayer subsidization of individuals in the country unlawfully.
In addition, loan applications must now include verified dates of birth. Any applicant reporting an age under 18 or over 115 will automatically be flagged under the SBA’s fraud alert system. The SBA stated these changes are designed to deter applicants from using identities belonging to deceased individuals or minors.
“With the help of DOGE, the SBA has already made a number of common-sense reforms to prevent the rampant fraud we’ve seen over the last four years,” said SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler. “Unlike the previous Administration, we respect the American taxpayer and are dedicated to ensuring every dollar entrusted to this agency goes to support eligible, legitimate small businesses. With these simple fraud prevention measures, we will end the abuse of our loan programs – with stronger safeguards to hold bad actors accountable.”
Examples of Past Abuse
The SBA outlined examples of fraud that occurred under previous policies:
- In June 2024, the agency approved a $783,000 loan to a business that was 49% owned by an illegal alien. However, the SBA identified the individual’s immigration status during a February audit and stopped disbursement, ensuring no funds were released.
- Between 2020 and 2021, DOGE found more than 3,000 SBA loans, totaling $333 million, were issued to borrowers over the age of 115 according to Social Security records.
- During the same period, DOGE identified over 5,500 loans worth approximately $300 million that were disbursed to children under the age of 11.
Commitment to Reform
The SBA emphasized that the new safeguards are part of a broader commitment to fiscal responsibility and program integrity. These steps are expected to reduce fraud and improve public confidence in the agency’s mission to support genuine small business development.
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