This is a Fraud?
Stanford University, Spring 2022
Problem Statement
Libyan customs agents need a tool to identify fraudulent documents in order to free up time and lessen the need for in-person training.
Problem Scoping and Discovery
The team conducted over 130 interviews and discovered that:
Libyan customs agents are mostly concerned about border security, since only 5% of Libya’s border is secure
Maintaining transparency in customs documents is critical due to influences in illegal activities such as human trafficking
It is difficult for EXBS advisors to build capacity in their regions to counter the illegal cargo exchange using fraudulent documents. The COVID-19 pandemic has made it challenging to maintain strong training practices remotely
There was high on-the-ground interest in deploying a system for fraudulent document identification
Solution Proposed
The team recommended a digital system for customs and immigration officials to transfer written data to a digital format and identify if the document itself is fraudulent. The system would automatically record information from scanned documents to the Libyan Civilian database and flag fraudulent documents by comparing the data scanned to an existing fraudulent database.
Results
The team traveled to Tunisia and received positive feedback on their solution from Libyan customs officers. The team was invited to brief Deputy Assistant Secretary Gharun Lacy and Assistant Director of the Diplomatic Security Service for Cyber & Technology Security, Ron Stuart, on their proposal.