SAVAGE, Minnesota, Jan 9 - The U.S. Treasury Department's plan to increase scrutiny of overseas transfers of money should not harm people who can prove the funds did not come from social service payments, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Reuters on Friday.

Bessent on Friday announced the Treasury's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) is investigating some money services businesses as part of a crackdown on federal social benefits abuses in Minnesota, while some banks will be audited by the Internal Revenue Service for alleged money laundering.