A recent incident in Apeldoorn highlights the importance of preventive controls. Due to an error, the municipality of Apeldoorn overpaid nearly €600,000 in energy allowances, with 228 residents each receiving €800 instead of the intended €350. The mistake was only discovered after the payments had been made.
This case underscores the critical need for preventive payment controls—one of SafeSpend’s key strengths.
Our suite performs multiple checks before each payment is made. One of these includes advanced amount analysis. We apply sophisticated techniques such as DBSCAN clustering of historical transactions and standard deviation analysis per counterparty to detect anomalies. A sudden increase from €350 to €800? With SafeSpend, this would have been flagged immediately.
By analyzing batch types and their corresponding data, we quickly identify patterns and data clusters. In the case of energy allowances or benefit payments—where amounts typically grow gradually—any significant deviation stands out at once. As shown in the example below, an unusually large outlier is clearly detected. Even when dealing with small individual amounts, minor deviations across large volumes can result in major financial loss. SafeSpend helps you prevent this—before the damage is done.