Welfare residency fraud and different types of public assistance fraud cost taxpayers millions of dollars each year. Additionally, there is an added cost to detect and investigate instances of fraud. Welfare residency fraud exists when an individual is claiming residency in one jurisdiction for the purposes of taking advantage of a particular program only available to residents in that particular jurisdiction. They may use a fictitious address or the address of a relative to claim residency. Certain states have particular “zones” set up where the residents are eligible for different types of public assistance programs. These “zones” are often economically depressed areas where residency is not desirable.