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Reporting: Federal Funds Fraud
If you are aware of someone obtaining or using federal funds fraudulently, you can report them here:
The first step is always to protect yourself. Read our How to Protect Yourself guide.
Learn more about the False Claims Act as it relates to:
About Federal Funds Fraud and the False Claims Act
The False Claims Act, 31 U.S.C. § 3729 et seq. (“FCA”), originally enacted in 1863 in response to defense contractor fraud during the Civil War, the FCA covers a broad range of actions for fraud and corruption including healthcare fraud and false claims, hospital and emergency room fraud, pharmaceutical fraud, Medicare fraud, defense, and aerospace contractor fraud, energy fraud and false claims, construction and procurement fraud, research fraud, and many others.
The FCA has been amended and strengthened multiple times, and is one of the federal government’s most powerful tools for recovering fraudulently obtained federal funds. In addition to allowing the US government to pursue claims on its own, the FCA allows private individuals to file suits on behalf of the government (“qui tam” suits) against those who have defrauded the government. These suits by private individuals (commonly referred to as “whistleblowers” or “relators” in legal speak) often represent the majority of false claims suits brought annually.
In the fiscal year ending September 30th, 2021, the Justice Department obtained more than $5.6 billion in settlements and judgments involving fraud and false claims.