Ten local authorities have carried out a month long trial to try to track down social security fraud using social networking sites and microblogging service Twitter, Nos news reports.

The councils brought in a special research bureau to monitor internet traffic, scanning for specific terms such as ‘new car’ or ‘holiday’.
For example, someone sending a Twitter message that they are on holiday could be claiming social security benefits, which limit the amount of holiday they can have.
And in 70 out of 100 suspicious cases which were investigated, social security fraud was involved, the Nos says.
Wilfred van Roij of research bureau Com Connect Digitale Opsporing told the Nos he counts financial services groups, the government, debt collection agencies and insurance companies among his clients.
Insurers in particular are increasingly active on social media sites in an effort to crack down on fraud, he said.