Welfare Fraud Reporting Form
Please complete OTDAs Report Welfare Fraud Online Form if you suspect, or have knowledge of, a social services client fraudulently receiving assistance in New York State from:
- Public/Cash Assistance
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
- or Home Energy Assistance Program
Once the form is completed, you will have the option to submit it electronically, print it and mail it in or fax it to the address indicated on the form.
Penalty For Defrauding Social Security
The SSA doesnt look kindly on fraud, and the penalty for misuse of Social Security can be severe. Each false statement a person makes, while knowing full-well that they are not eligible, can result in misdemeanor fines of up to $5,000. For people in positions of trust, such as doctors, translators, claimant representatives, and current or former SSA employees, that about increases up to $7,500.
Felony criminal penalties for Social Security fraud can set someone back up to $250,000 and can put them away for five years. For the aforementioned people in positions of trust, the punishment could be as much as 10 years in prison.
What Benefit Fraud Is
Benefit fraud is when someone is dishonest in order to receive benefit or knowingly fails to report a change in their circumstances. This includes people who:
- do not report they are now living with a partner or that their partner has started work
- do not report they are receiving other benefits
- do not declare their savings or do not declare the right amount of savings
- are claiming for children who have left home
- do not report they have started work, or started to earn money
- do not report they have inherited money
- do not report they are going abroad, living abroad, or have changed address
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Get Help After A Sexual Assault
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Contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline anytime at 1-800-656-HOPE . They will connect you anonymously with a counselor at your nearest rape treatment center.
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Find state domestic violence resources online.
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Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline anytime at 1-800-799-SAFE . You can talk confidentially with an advocate or find local resources.
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Contact the Loveisrespect hotline if you or someone you know is a victim of teen dating violence. Reach a peer advocate anytime by phone at , by texting loveis to 22522, or by chat online.
Why False Claims Are So Damaging
For people with disabilities, specially trained service animals play an absolutely vital role. They make it possible for those with disabilities to work, travel, stay safe, and, in some cases, stay alive.
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How To Report Workers’ Compensation Fraud
This article was co-authored by Clinton M. Sandvick, JD, PhD. Clinton M. Sandvick worked as a civil litigator in California for over 7 years. He received his JD from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1998 and his PhD in American History from the University of Oregon in 2013.There are 11 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 26,948 times.
Workers’ compensation is a form of insurance that provides short- or long-term wage replacement for workers who are injured on the job. Each state administers its own workers’ compensation program that covers employees who work for either the state government or private companies. The federal government, through the United States Department of Labor, administers its own workers’ compensation program that covers federal employees. Workers’ compensation fraud occurs when someone makes a false representation in order to obtain or deny workers’ compensation benefits. If you suspect that someone has committed fraud, then you can report it to the appropriate authorities.
What We Do With Reports About Suspected Fraud
Our specialist officers assess every fraud allegation.
Keep in mind, we cant give you updates. This includes after youve made a report. For privacy reasons, we cant give out any details about our activities.
We take all reports of suspected fraud seriously.
Sometimes you may not see changes to someones situation. The information you give us doesn’t always result in a change in a persons payment or service.
In some cases we may not take any further action. For example, we may find any of the following:
- the person you name doesnt get a payment or service
- we cant identify the person, usually because there isnt enough detail in the tip-off
- the information isnt relevant to the payment or service the person gets
- the information doesnt match the persons situation.
We know not all incorrect payments are because of fraud. Sometimes incorrect payments can come from a mistake. A mistake may include any of the following:
- an accidental oversight
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How Do You Report A Fake Service Dog
In recent years there has been an unfortunate trend of people trying to pass their dogs off as being service dogs. They do this in order to take advantage of benefits that people who genuinely need help would get.
Not only is it completely unethical, but it can also cause problems for genuine owners who dont have a fake service dog.
If you have spotted a fake service dog, I would implore you to report it, and heres how you do it.
How do you report a fake service dog? The best way to report a fake service dog is to report the owner using the Americans with Disabilities Act website. There are phone numbers that you can use to call to report a suspected or known violation.
You can report fake services dogs on the ADA website on a link Ive left further down the page.
Alternatively, if you do catch a fake service dog in action, please call and report it to your local police department using the non-emergency line. They will then investigate the individual and decide whether or not your claim is accurate.
What Happens If You Are Suspected Of Benefit Fraud
Committing benefit fraud can lead you to being fined or facing a prison sentence. In all cases you will have to pay back the money you were not entitled to. Find out more about benefit fraud investigation and where to get advice from if you are being investigated for benefit fraud.
Report changes in your circumstances:
You need to tell your benefits office about any changes in circumstances as soon as possible. They will tell you if it affects your benefit.
Some changes may mean youre entitled to new or additional benefits, but others could mean you no longer qualify for benefit, or should receive a lower amount. You may be overpaid if the benefits office doesnt know about your changed circumstances.
Once Fraud Investigation Officers have collected facts about your case a decision will be made on whether or not to take further action. If theres evidence that youre committing benefit fraud, any of the following may happen:
- you may be prosecuted
- you may be asked to pay a penalty as an alternative to prosecution
- your benefit may be reduced or withdrawn
- you will be asked to repay the overpaid benefit
Loss of benefits
Important changes to the rules around loss of benefit entitlement following a benefit fraud offence came into effect from 1 April 2010.
You will be notified if the One Strike sanction is applied to your benefits.
This is known as the Two Strikes sanction, and youll be notified if its applied to your benefits.
Sanctionable benefits
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How To Report A Person Abusing Va Benefits
The United States Department of Veteran’s Administration falls prey to those who employ fraud just as easily as any other agency. And because funding comes from the taxable income of working Americans, waste and abuse within the Veteran’s Administration hurts honest citizens. There is a way to fight the criminals who cheat the VA system. Simply contact the Office of the Inspector General Hotline in Washington D.C.
Compile information. Prepare to make your claim by finding out if the VA facility disbursing the benefits is regional, state or federal. Make sure you have the names of all wrongdoers, victims or witnesses, the date of the event, and the names of people or agencies that may have already investigated the incident. Know the nature of the fraud or waste, and the effects of that activity in terms of lost time or misappropriated funds. Gather evidence if possible.
Decide if you want to remain anonymous, or if you are willing to provide full contact information. If your allegation seems vague and the OIG has no way to contact you to clarify details, they will drop the case. Read More:How to Write a Notice of Disagreement for the VA
Warnings
Tips
- Be clear and concise. Provide all relevant information and evidence without coloring your statement with emotions or irrelevant opinions.
References
What You Can Do If You Suspect A Fraudulent Ssdi Or Ssi Claim
Updated By Bethany K. Laurence, Attorney
Social Security Disability Insurance benefits and SSI disability benefits are granted to those who become disabled and are unable to work. These benefits are an important safety net for Americans who are disabled, but unfortunately, they sometimes provide an opportunity for dishonest people to take advantage of the system in order to collect benefits and avoid work. SSDI fraud costs taxpayer money and harms not only the Social Security system and the truly disabled, but also the taxpayers as a whole. If you suspect SSDI fraud, you can take action to report it.
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Information You Need To Provide To Report
The law says that there has to be a good reason for investigating someone for benefit fraud so you will need to give as much of the following information as possible:
- the name and address of the person you are reporting and their partner, if they have one
- a description of the person
- the type of benefit theft you think they are committing and why you suspect them
- information about their employer, if you think they are working
- information about their vehicle, if they have one
When You Might Be Committing Disability Fraud
Part of the role of the Social SecurityAdministration is to weed out claims of those who are not truly disabled in order to help those who are truly disabled. Some applicants for Social Security disability are genuinely ill or impaired but just don’t meet the SSA’s stringent requirements for disability, but others commitfraud by claiming to be disabled and unable to work when they are not . There are other forms of disability fraud as well.
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Victims Of Identity Theft
If you receive mail or a Form 1099G from the EDD, but you did not file a claim for benefits and you think someone else filed a claim under your name, address, or Social Security number, file a fraud report:
- Benefit Fraud Visit Ask EDD and select the Report Fraud category.
- Form 1099G Visit Ask EDD and select the Form 1099G category or call 1-866-401-2849, Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., except on .
If we find you were a victim of fraud, we will remove the claim from your Social Security number and send you an updated 1099G, if needed. Review IRS tax guidance on benefit identity theft.
For more information about protecting yourself from identity theft, review the California Attorney Generals Identity Theft Information Sheets and .
Everything You Need To Know To Report Disability Fraud
Social Security Disability programs can be a literal lifesaver for people who truly need financial help because of a severe medical condition that prevents them from working for at least a year. Unfortunately, as with most things in life, theres always someone looking to take advantage of the system. Fabricating a medical condition or financial situation in order to obtain benefits is illegal, but that doesnt stop people from doing it.
Of course, determining which individuals may be engaging in fraudulent activity is easier said than done. This is why, along with their own investigative efforts, the Social Security Administration also counts on the public to report disability fraud if they suspect someone of it. After all, abuse by fraudsters results in the SSA more closely scrutinizing, and sometimes denying, the applications of people who truly need assistance. But before we cover how to go about reporting disability fraud, lets look at some numbers.
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Protecting The Ei Program
We are all responsible for helping to detect and deter EI fraud.
At Service Canada, we are determined to protect the EI program. Our powerful computer tracking and linked data systems now mean it is almost impossible for fraudulent activity to remain undetected for long.
You also have an important role to play in helping to protect the EI program. If you are aware that someone has committed fraud, please let us know.
Your Personal Information And Your Rights
DWP collects and keeps information about you relating to any benefits you claim. Its allowed by law to cross check this information and share it with certain other organisations and other Government Departments.
The Data Protection Act 1998 gives you a right by law to know what personal information is held about you by organisations. It is enforced by the Information Commission, who can be contacted by telephone on 01625 545 745, .
To find out more about the how the Data Protection Act affects you and how to make a complaint see:
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Penalties For Ssdi Fraud
There are severe penalties for Social Security card fraud and disability fraud.
Felony criminal penalties can be up to $250,000 in fines and/or up to five years jail time. On top of the criminal penalties, there may be civil penalties as well. A person found guilty of fraud may be sued in civil court and have to pay a large fine, and may have his or her professional license suspended. Each false statement a person made by signing a form or statement while knowing that he or she was not eligible can result in fines up to $5,000.
What Steps Are Taken To Protect My Identity
When reporting fraud or wrong-doing, you are not required to provide your name, address, or any other information that may identify you.
Under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act any information you provide may be released to people including, but not limited to, the person with a workplace injury or illness, their employer as well as both of their representatives.
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The Person Commitng Fraud Is
The person commitng fraud is
he has his own home inwhich he loves at the address. I gave..he got a huge inheritance he put it n Chase Bank name…he also has Boeing credit union .. in his and wife& #039 s name ..his cancer is in remission…this guy has a mechanic garage at his residence and makes like 100 too 600 daily he puts in his pocket.. .. he is on disability social…he acts like him and wife are separated but they live together and have huge income between both… Plus he& #039 s a veteran ..he owns lots of cars and RVs ..he& #039 s a RV tech he repairs them ..and cars.. this guy is draining all us Americans .
Potentially Fraudulent Welfare Situations That Can Be Reported
- Unreported Income
- Please give the employers name and address, type of income, when it started, how often paid, etc.
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Where To Get Help
If you have any questions about your benefits, a benefit claim or an investigation, its a good idea to contact your benefits office. You may have made a genuine mistake, or be unsure if something applies in your particular case.
If you are worried about being suspected of benefit fraud or If youre concerned about checks on your benefit claim or being asked to give evidence you may want to get independent advice from the Citizens Advice Bureau.
What Is Unemployment Insurance Fraud
Employers and claimants can both commit fraud under state unemployment insurance laws.
Employer fraud can include certain actions to avoid tax liability or establishing a fictitious employer account to enable fraudulent claims against that account. Claimant fraud can include knowingly submitting false information continuing to collect benefits when knowing oneself to be ineligible not being able and available to work while certifying for benefits under state law or intentionally not reporting wages or income while collecting full benefits. Additionally, identity theft may result in unemployment insurance fraud that is not the fault of the employer or the identity theft victim.
The state is required and expected to enforce its own unemployment insurance laws.
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