Fraud, Waste and Abuse in the U.S. Government: What Americans Should Know

By /

RED TARGET TIPIKOR / U. S. Investigations & Government Accountability
By: Editorial Staff

Fraud, Waste and Abuse in the U. S. Government: What Americans Should Know

The federal government spends trillions of dollars every year on programs that touch nearly every part of American life:
health care, retirement security, education, infrastructure, disaster relief, and national defense.
With spending at that scale comes a question every taxpayer has a stake in:
how much money is lost to fraud, waste, and abuse, and what is being done about it?

The honest answer is that the problem is enormous, difficult to measure precisely, and more complicated
than any single headline number suggests.
In fiscal year 2024, federal agencies reported an estimated $162 billion in improper payments,
which are payments that should not have been made or were made in the incorrect amount, across 68 programs,
according to the Government Accountability Office (GAO) (GAO-25-107753, https://www. gao. gov/products/gao-25-107753).
GAO also estimates that the federal government loses between $233 billion and $521 billion annually
to fraud alone, based on data from fiscal years 2018 through 2022
(https://gao. gov/assets/gao-26-108824-highlights. pdf).
Both figures are estimates, and by the government’s own account they understate the full problem
(https://www. gao. gov/products/gao-25-107753).

Key Takeaways

  • In FY 2024, agencies reported an estimated $162 billion in improper payments across 68 programs,
    down from $236 billion in FY 2023, mostly because pandemic-era programs ended
    (GAO-25-107753, https://www. gao. gov/products/gao-25-107753)
  • GAO estimates that the federal government loses between $233 billion and $521 billion to fraud each year,
    based on FY 2018 to FY 2022 data, and the range is an estimate, not a confirmed tally
    (https://gao. gov/assets/gao-26-108824-highlights. pdf)
  • The terms fraud, waste, and abuse are distinct concepts definedin federal auditing standards,
    and none should be asserted about a person or program without evidence or a legal finding
    (GAO-21-32R, https://gao. gov/assets/720/712083.pdf)
  • GAO flags 38 high-risk areas with serious vulnerabilities to fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, and
    those areas account for about 80 percent of reported improper payments
    (GAO, https://gao. gov/press-release/gao-urges-attention-2025-high-risk-list-save-billions-improve-government-efficiency-effectiveness)
  • Americans can report suspected fraud through agency Inspector General hotlines, GAO FraudNet, and the False Claims Act,
    which produced over $2.9 billion in FY 2024 recoveries
    (DOJ, https://www. justice. gov/archives/opa/pr/false-claims-act-settlements-and-judgments-exceed-29b-fiscal-year-2024;
    Oversight. gov, https://www. oversight. gov/where-report-fraud-waste-abuse-or-retaliation)

What Is Government Fraud?

In federal auditing and enforcement, fraud means obtaining something of value
through willful misrepresentation, according to GAO and the Government Auditing Standards
(GAO Fraud and Improper Payments, https://gao. gov/fraud-improper-payments;
GAO-21-32R, https://gao. gov/assets/720/712083.pdf)
The determining word is willful; fraud is intentional deception designed to extract
money, benefits, or other value from the government.

Fraud takes many forms across federal programs: individuals filing false claims
for benefits they were not entitled to; identity theft in unemployment insurance
and tax credit programs; health care providers billing Medicare or Medicaid
for services that never occurred, were not medically necessary, or were procured through illegal kickbacks;
defense contractors submitting false cost data; and schemes that diverted pandemic relief funds.
The Justice Department FY 2024 False Claims Act report described settlements and litigation
over allegations of billing for therapy services that simply did not occur as billed,
paying kickbacks to induce referrals, and knowingly submitting false pricing data
on Defense Department contracts (https://www. justice. gov/archives/opa/pr/false-claims-act-settlements-and-judgments-exceed-29b-fiscal-year-2024)
Those are examples of what enforcers pursue.

Fraud is related to, but distinct from, the broader terms covered here.
While all fraudulent payments are improper, most improper payments are not fraud;
they stem from documentation errors, missing information, or eligibility mistakes
(GAO, https://gao. gov/fraud-improper-payments)
Because fraud is hidden by design, measuring it is hard: GAO estimates annual fraud losses
at between $233 billion and $521 billion based on FY 2018 to FY 2022 data, and has urged
Congress and agencies to improve fraud reporting to sharpen those figures
(https://gao. gov/assets/gao-26-108824-highlights. pdf)

Finally, apply this discipline everywhere: whether an act is, in fact, fraud is determined
through the judicial or other adjudicative system, and is beyond auditors professional responsibility
(GAO-21-32R, https://gao. gov/assets/720/712083.pdf)
An accusation is not a conviction.

What Is Government Waste?

Waste is a different problem, rarely involving criminal intent.
Under the Government Auditing Standards, waste is the act of using or expending
resources carelessly, extravagantly, or to no purpose; it relates primarily
to mismanagement, inappropriate action, and inadequate oversight, and does not
necessarily involve a violation of law (GAO-21-32R, https://gao. gov/assets/720/712083.pdf)

Waste commonly appears in patterns that GAO has documented for decades: duplication, overlap,
and fragmentation, when multiple agencies do the same work, pursue similar goals,
or split responsibility for the same national need in ways that raise costs
(https://gao. gov/assets/720/712083.pdf)
Another pattern is weak contract management: in Afghanistan reconstruction, GAO found
that some contracting officer representatives lacked the technical expertise
to monitor contract performance, and that buildings sometimes had to be repaired
or rebuilt before troops could use them (GAO-12-290, as described in GAO-21-32R,
https://gao. gov/assets/720/712083.pdf)
The lesson applies domestically: money spent without adequate expertise and oversight
produces little of lasting value.

Because determining waste is subjective, auditors are not required to perform
specific procedures to detect it in financial audits, although they may report waste
they become aware of, especially where it signals deeper problems
such as fraud or weak internal controls (https://gao. gov/assets/720/712083.pdf)
Responsible oversight treats waste as a conclusion supported by audit evidence,
not as a casual accusation.

What Is Government Abuse?

Abuse sits between waste and fraud. Under federal auditing standards, abuse is behavior
that is deficient or improper when compared with behavior that a prudent person
would consider reasonable and necessary business practice given the facts and circumstances,
excluding fraud and noncompliance with laws, regulations, contracts, and grant agreements
(GAO-21-32R, https://gao. gov/assets/720/712083.pdf)
Abuse also includes misuse of authority or position for personal financial interests,
or those of an immediate or close family member or business associate (same source)

In plain terms, abuse is using government position, authority, or resources
in a way that is unreasonable or self-serving even when it does not rise
to crime or clear illegality, such as an official steering agency business
toward a relative firm or using agency resources for personal purposes
in improper but not plainly illegal ways.
Auditors note abuse can indicate fraud, noncompliance, or internal control weaknesses,
but its determination is subjective, and auditors are not required to perform
specific procedures to detect it in financial audits (https://gao. gov/assets/720/712083.pdf)

The distinctions matter for accountability. Fraud demands law enforcement investigation
and possible criminal or civil penalties. Waste demands managerial reform.
Abuse demands administrative and ethics accountability.
Conflating them, or labeling any criticized program or official as corrupt without a finding, undermines the very accountability these terms serve.

How Improper Payments Affect Taxpayers

Improper payments are payments that should not have been made or were made
in the incorrect amount, as defined under the Payment Integrity Information Act of 2019
(PIIA) frameworks (GAO-25-107753, https://www. gao. gov/products/gao-25-107753)
Most are overpayments caused by errors in eligibility determination, missing
or insufficient documentation, or data that cannot be verified. The problems are
more often administrative than criminal.

The scale is striking. In FY 2024, 16 agencies reported an estimated $162 billion
in improper payments across 68 programs, a decrease of about $74 billion
from FY 2023 which was $236 billion, driven largely by the end of certain pandemic programs
(https://www. gao. gov/products/gao-25-107753)
Since FY 2003, cumulative reported estimates have totaled about $2.8 trillion,
and GAO cautions that the estimates cover only a subset of programs: agencies have
not reported estimates for every program susceptible to significant improper payments
(https://www. gao. gov/products/gao-25-107753)
In fact, agencies failed to report FY 2023 improper payment estimates
for nine risk-susceptible programs
(GAO-25-107743, https://www. gao. gov/products/GAO-25-107743)

Of the $162 billion in FY 2024, about $135 billion, or roughly 84 percent,
were overpayments, such as payments to deceased individuals or people no longer eligible;
$7.9 billion were underpayments;$12.6 billion were unknown payments;
and $5.9 billion paid correctly in entitlement but not in accordance with statutes or regulations
(GAO WatchBlog, GAO-25-108172, https://www. gao. gov/blog/federal-government-made-estimated-162-billion-improper-payments-last-fiscal-year;
GAO-25-107753, https://www. gao. gov/products/gao-25-107753)
Eighteen programs reported improper payment rates of at least 10 percent, and six reported
rates ranging from over 25 percent to about 45 percent (https://www. gao. gov/products/gao-25-107753)

For taxpayers, every improperly paid dollar is money unavailable for the intended purpose
of a program, such as a road repair, acliniic visit, oradisaster grant, or money that
must instead be financed through taxes or borrowing. Many of these errors are fixable:
the Congressional Research Service, analyzing PaymentAccuracy. gov data, found that
between FY 2021 and FY 2024 agencies estimated a total of $765.8 billion
in overpayments caused by data or information access issues alone
(CRS IF12936, https://www. congress. gov/crs_external_products/IF/HTML/IF12936.html)

Where Does U. S. Taxpayer Money Go? A Guide to Federal Government Spending
(/where-does-us-taxpayer-money-go-guide-to-federal-government-spending/)

Which Government Programs Face Greater Risk?

Risk is not spread evenly across federal spending. Every two years, GAO publishes
a High-Risk List of government operations with serious vulnerabilities
to fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, or in need of transformation.
In February 2025, GAO identified 38 high-risk areas, adding federal disaster assistance
and rating the Unemployment Insurance System and several other areas for the first time
(GAO-25-107743, https://www. gao. gov/products/GAO-25-107743)
The list names programs, not parties, and exists to show where oversight
attention would save the most money.

The concentration is stark. Programs on the High-Risk List accounted for
about 80 percent of the government-wide reported improper payment estimate,
including Medicare and Medicaid, two of the fastest-growing federal programs,
along with the unemployment insurance system and the Earned Income Tax Credit
(GAO, https://gao. gov/press-release/gao-urges-attention-2025-high-risk-list-save-billions-improve-government-efficiency-effectiveness)
For FY 2024, about 75 percent of the improper payment total, roughly $121 billion,
sat in just five program areas: Medicare programs($54 billion), Medicaid($31 billion,
the Earned Income Tax Credit, SNAP, and the Small Business Administration Restaurant
Revitalization Fund (https://www. gao. gov/products/gao-25-107753)

Why these programs? Scale is one reason: Medicare and Medicaid move hundreds
of billions annually, so a low error rate still yields billions in losses.
Speed is another: benefit programs must verify eligibility quickly and at enormous volume,
sometimes with limited data. Emergencies amplify risk: during the pandemic,
unemployment insurance was distributed with speed prioritized over verification,
and fraudsters exploited that.
GAO also flags the tax gap: IRS projected a $606 billion net tax gap for 2022,
which GAO says closing could produce significant financial benefits
(GAO, https://gao. gov/blog/gaos-high-risk-list-highlights-ways-save-billions-and-help-agencies-work-better)

America High-Risk Government Programs: Where Fraud, Waste and Mismanagement Can Occur
(/americas-high-risk-government-programs-where-fraud-waste-and-mismanagement-can-occur/)

How Federal Agencies Detect Fraud and Waste

Detection is not one system but a layered network of controls, auditors,
data tools, and enforcers. The Payment Integrity Information Act requires agencies
to use the Do Not Pay (DNP) system, a Treasury-run service that checks payment eligibility
against trusted government data before money goes out the door
(Treasury Bureau of the Fiscal Service, https://fiscal. treasury. gov/payment-integrity/do-not-pay-dnp)
In FY 2025 alone, Treasury reports, DNP helped agencies prevent, detect, and recover
$11.7 billion in potential fraud and improper payments (https://fiscal. treasury. gov/payment-integrity/do-not-pay-dnp)

Beyond verification, agencies use statistical analysis to spot anomalies,
such as unusual billing patterns, providers that bill far more than their peers,
or beneficiaries appearing inconsistently across programs. The Justice Department
has called its pandemic fraud strategy as a data-driven prosecution approach,
pairing analytics with enforcement (DOJ, COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force
2024 report, https://www. justice. gov/archives/opa/pr/covid-19-fraud-enforcement-task-force-releases-2024-report)
GAO fraud risk framework, guidance for federal managers, organizes these efforts
into prevention, detection, and response, backed by leadership commitment, and data infrastructure
(GAO, https://gao. gov/fraud-improper-payments)

Enforcement is civil and criminal. The False Claims Act (FCA) is the government main
civil tool against those who knowingly submit false claims for federal money,
imposing treble damages and penalties. In FY 2024, FCA settlements and judgments
exceeded $2.9 billion, the second-highest annual total, including more than
$1.67 billion related to health care industry matters, and over $2.4 billion
from whistleblower-filed qui tam suits, with relators receiving over $400 million
(DOJ, https://www. justice. gov/archives/opa/pr/false-claims-act-settlements-and-judgments-exceed-29b-fiscal-year-2024)
Since Congress strengthened the act in 1986, total settlements and judgments
have surpassed $78 billion (https://www. justice. gov/archives/opa/pr/false-claims-act-settlements-and-judgments-exceed-29b-fiscal-year-2024)

Criminal enforcement runs parallel. DOJ 2024 National Health Care Fraud
Enforcement Action brought criminal charges against 193 defendants, including 76 doctors,
nurse practitioners, and other licensed medical professionals, across 32 federal districts,
for alleged schemes involving approximately $2.75 billion in intended losses, and seizing
over $231 million in cash, vehicles, gold, and other assets
(DOJ, https://www. justice. gov/archives/opa/pr/national-health-care-fraud-enforcement-action-results-193-defendants-charged-and-over-275-0)
For pandemic relief, the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force, created in May 2021,
had by its 2024 report charged more than 3,500 defendants for losses exceeding $2 billion,
filed more than 400 civil actions, and seized or forfeited over $1.4 billion
in stolen relief funds (https://www. justice. gov/archives/opa/pr/covid-19-fraud-enforcement-task-force-releases-2024-report)

Two cautions belong with those numbers. Charges are allegations; defendants are presumed
innocent until proven guilty, and outcomes vary widely. Recoveries are not prevented losses:
a recovered dollar is better than a stolen one, but much fraud is never detected,
and enforcement costs real money.

The Role of Inspectors General

Offices of Inspector General (OIGs) are independent watchdogs embedded inside federal agencies.
They conduct independent and objective audits, investigations, inspections, and evaluations
of agency programs, and work to prevent and detect fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement,
reporting findings to agency heads and to Congress
(CIGIE, https://www. oversight. gov/inspectors-general/council-inspectors-general-integrity-and-efficiency)
Nearly every major agency has an OIG with jurisdiction over its own programs.

OIGs perform two distinct functions. Through audits, they assess whether agency money
is spent efficiently, effectively, and lawfully, which is where findings of waste,
mismanagement, and internal control weaknesses emerge, along with recommendations for reform.
Through investigations, they pursue allegations of criminal or civil wrongdoing,
often alongside the Justice Department, and refer cases for prosecution
(DOJ describes agency OIGs as partners in FCA enforcement, https://www. justice. gov/archives/opa/pr/false-claims-act-settlements-and-judgments-exceed-29b-fiscal-year-2024)
An OIG audit finding is an official, documented determination by auditors, while an OIG
investigation is an inquiry that may or may not substantiate an allegation.

IGs coordinate through the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency (CIGIE,
which operates Oversight. gov, a single online portal that directs reporters toward
the correct OIG hotline (https://www. oversight. gov/where-report-fraud-waste-abuse-or-retaliation;
https://www. oversight. gov/inspectors-general/council-inspectors-general-integrity-and-efficiency)
Federal employees who face retaliation for protected disclosures can turn
to the Office of Special Counsel, which investigates whistleblower retaliation claims
(https://www. oversight. gov/where-report-fraud-waste-abuse-or-retaliation)
The oversight system exists not only to catch wrongdoing, but to protect those who report it.

The Role of the Government Accountability Office

While OIGs sit inside agencies, GAO sits outside them. GAO is an independent,
nonpartisan agency of Congress that audits federal programs, analyzes how taxpayer
dollars are spent, and issues findings that Congress uses for oversight and legislation
(GAO, https://gao. gov/fraud-improper-payments)
Because GAO is not funded by the agencies it audits, its work is a cornerstone
of neutral, evidence-based accountability.

GAO signature products include the High-Risk List, which in 2025 identified 38 areas, and
has generated nearly $759 billion in financial benefits over 19 years, about $40 billion
per year, including $84 billion since the prior update (GAO, https://gao. gov/press-release/gao-urges-attention-2025-high-risk-list-save-billions-improve-government-efficiency-effectiveness;
GAO-25-107743, https://www. gao. gov/products/GAO-25-107743)
GAO annual improper payments report is the definitive account of agency-reported estimates
(GAO-25-107753, https://www. gao. gov/products/gao-25-107753)
and its analysis produced the $233 billion to $521 billion annual fraud loss estimate
(https://gao. gov/assets/gao-26-108824-highlights. pdf)

GAO also sets the standards that make accountability measurable. Its Green Book
establishes federal internal control standards, and its Government Auditing Standards
define terms such as fraud, waste, and abuse (GAO, https://gao. gov/fraud-improper-payments;
GAO-21-32R, https://gao. gov/assets/720/712083.pdf)
For its part, GAO runs FraudNet, a hotline that accepts reports of suspected fraud, waste,
abuse, or mismanagement of federal funds, and routes them to the right investigators
(https://www. gao. gov/about/what-gao-does/fraudnet)
In short, GAO quantifies the problem, sets the rules for finding it, and gives citizens
a direct channel to report it.

How Americans Can Report Suspected Fraud

You do not need to be a government insider or a lawyer to act. Federal reporting
channels are free, and they work best with specific facts, not speculation.

Start with the right OIG. Oversight. gov page titled Where to Report Fraud, Waste, Abuse,
or Retaliation helps you identify the agency that supervises the program in question,
and links you to its OIG hotline (https://www. oversight. gov/where-report-fraud-waste-abuse-or-retaliation)
Nearly every federal agency OIG runs a hotline for tips about its own programs,
whether the issue is Medicare billing, defense contracting, or disaster grants.

Not sure which agency? Use GAO FraudNet, which accepts reports of suspected fraud, waste,
abuse, or mismanagement of federal funds, and directs them to the appropriate investigators
(

Whistleblowers have tools with real teeth. Under the False Claims Act, private citizens
can file qui tam lawsuits on behalf of the government, and successful relators
typically receive between 15 and 30 percent of the recovery
(DOJ, https://www. justice. gov/archives/opa/pr/false-claims-act-settlements-and-judgments-exceed-29b-fiscal-year-2024)
Whistleblowers filed a record 979 qui tam suits inFY 2024, and relator shares exceeded $400 million
(https://www. justice. gov/archives/opa/pr/false-claims-act-settlements-and-judgments-exceed-29b-fiscal-year-2024)
Federal employees or applicants who fear retaliation for protected disclosures can file
complaints with the Office of Special Counsel (https://www. oversight. gov/where-report-fraud-waste-abuse-or-retaliation)

What makes a useful report? Be specific about the agency or program, what happened,
approximately when, and who holds knowledge or documents. Docnts, such as contracts,
claims, emails, or spreadsheets, materially strengthen an allegation. Report facts and
observations, not policy grievances, and remember the ground rule DOJ repeats in its own
announcements: the claims behind settlements and prosecutions are allegations only,
and there has been no determination of liability (https://www. justice. gov/archives/opa/pr/false-claims-act-settlements-and-judgments-exceed-29b-fiscal-year-2024)

Freedom of Information Act requests,
agency audit reports, and public databases are powerful starting points,
How to Use Public Records and FOIA to Investigate the U. S. Government
(/how-to-use-public-records-and-foia-to-investigate-the-us-government/)

What Has Been Confirmed vs. What Remains Alleged

Few topics demand more precision than government accountability. Here is how
to sort established outcomes from allegations, using the categories that federal law
and auditing standards recognize.

Established outcomes include audit findings, court judgments, convictions, and settlements.
For example:

Audit findings: GAO found that agencies failed to report FY 2023 improper payment estimates
for nine risk-susceptible programs, a documented compliance finding (GAO-25-107743,
https://www. gao. gov/products/GAO-25-107743)
The $162 billion FY 2024 figure is the agencies own reported estimates, compiled through
PIIA processes and analyzed by GAO (https://www. gao. gov/products/gao-25-107753)

Criminal sentences: DOJ reported that Ohio physician Dr. Gregory Gerber was sentenced
to 42 months in prison and one year of home confinement in a related federal criminal case,
over allegations that he unlawfully prescribed opioids without a legitimate medical basis
and received kickbacks from a drug manufacturer (https://www. justice. gov/archives/opa/pr/false-claims-act-settlements-and-judgments-exceed-29b-fiscal-year-2024)
A sentence is a court-determined outcome.

Settlements resolving allegations: In FY 2024, FCA settlements and judgments exceeded
$2.9 billion, including a $21.3 million settlement over allegations of billing
for therapy services that were unreasonable, unnecessary, or did not occur as billed,
and a $425 million settlement with Teva Pharmaceuticals over allegations of paying
Medicare copays for patients while raising the price of a drug (https://www. justice. gov/archives/opa/pr/false-claims-act-settlements-and-judgments-exceed-29b-fiscal-year-2024)
Settlements return money to the government, but as DOJ states, the claims behind them
are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability (same source)
A settlement is not an admission.

Estimates are not ledgers. GAO estimate of $233 billion to $521 billion in annual fraud
losses is an analytical projection based on FY 2018 to FY 2022 data, not a list of confirmed thefts
(https://gao. gov/assets/gao-26-108824-highlights. pdf)
Likewise, improper payment estimates cover only a subset of federal programs, and exclude
certain programs susceptible to significant improper payments (https://www. gao. gov/products/gao-25-107753)
Estimates guide oversight; they do not convict.

Allegations and charges are separate. Charges, indictments, civil complaints, and the underlying
claims in settlements are all allegations. DOJ 2024 health care fraud sweep brought criminal
charges against 193 defendants, including 76 licensed medical professionals, for alleged schemes
involving about $2.75 billion in intended losses (https://www. justice. gov/archives/opa/pr/national-health-care-fraud-enforcement-action-results-193-defendants-charged-and-over-275-0)
Charged is not a conviction. Defendants are presumed innocent.
Likewise, the more than 3,500 defendants charged by the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force
by its 2024 report stand charged, not adjudicated (https://www. justice. gov/archives/opa/pr/covid-19-fraud-enforcement-task-force-releases-2024-report)

The rule of thumb: when reading any claim about government fraud, waste, or abuse, ask
what kind of claim it is, who asserts it, and on what basis, whether an audit finding,
court judgment, settlement, estimate, or allegation, and whether any adjudicative body
has determined the facts. GAO puts the principle plainly: whether an act is, in fact, fraud
is determined through the judicial or other adjudicative system, and is beyond auditors
professional responsibility (GAO-21-32R, https://gao. gov/assets/720/712083.pdf)
Apply that discipline, and you will rarely be misled.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are improper payments the same as fraud?
No. Improper payments are payments that should not have been made or were made
in the wrong amount; most stem from documentation errors, missing information,
or eligibility mistakes. Fraud is willful misrepresentation to obtain value.
All fraudulent payments are improper, but most improper payments are not fraudulent
(GAO, https://gao. gov/fraud-improper-payments)

How much does the government lose to fraud each year?
GAO estimates between $233 billion and $521 billion annually, based on FY 2018 to FY 2022 data
(https://gao. gov/assets/gao-26-108824-highlights. pdf)
That range reflects how hard concealed fraud is to measure.

What is the difference between an OIG and GAO?
OIGs are independent offices within individual agenciesthat audit and investigate
their own programs. GAO is an independent, nonpartisan agency of Congress that audits
programs government-wide, and sets federal internal control and auditing standards
(GAO, https://gao. gov/fraud-improper-payments; CIGIE, https://www. oversight. gov/inspectors-general/council-inspectors-general-integrity-and-efficiency)

Anyone. Agency OIG hotlines and GAO FraudNet accept reports, and Oversight. gov portal
directs you to the right one (Oversight. gov, https://www. oversight. gov/where-report-fraud-waste-abuse-or-retaliation;

Reporters should check each channel practices on anonymity and confidentiality,

What is the False Claims Act, and why do whistleblowers use it?
It is a federal civil statute that imposes liability on those who knowingly submit
false claims for federal money, and lets private citizens file qui tam lawsuits
on behalf of the government, with successful relators typically receiving between 15
and 30 percent of the recovery. In FY 2024, FCA settlements and judgments exceeded
$2.9 billion, and whistleblowers filed a record 979 qui tam suits
(DOJ, https://www. justice. gov/archives/opa/pr/false-claims-act-settlements-and-judgments-exceed-29b-fiscal-year-2024)

Am I protected if I report wrongdoing at work?
If you are a federal employee or applicant and make a protected disclosure, the Office
of Special Counsel investigates whistleblower retaliation claims (Oversight. gov,
https://www. oversight. gov/where-report-fraud-waste-abuse-or-retaliation)
Whistleblower protections are fact-specific, so consult the applicable OIG,
OSC, or an attorney for guidance.

improper payment estimates (GAO-25-107753, https://www. gao. gov/products/gao-25-107753)
GAO High-Risk List and reports, DOJ press releases, and OIG reports are all public

Sources

  • U. S. Government Accountability Office, Improper Payments: Information on Agencies Fiscal Year 2024 Estimates (GAO-25-107753, March 11, 2025):https://www. gao. gov/products/gao-25-107753
  • GAO WatchBlog, Federal Government Made an Estimated $162 Billion in Improper Payments Last Fiscal Year (GAO-25-108172, March 11, 2025):https://www. gao. gov/blog/federal-government-made-estimated-162-billion-improper-payments-last-fiscal-year
  • U. S. GAO, High-Risk Series: Heightened Attention Could Save Billions More (GAO-25-107743, February 25, 2025):https://www. gao. gov/products/GAO-25-107743
  • U. S. GAO press release, GAO Urges Attention to 2025 High-Risk List (February 25, 2025):https://gao. gov/press-release/gao-urges-attention-2025-high-risk-list-save-billions-improve-government-efficiency-effectiveness
  • GAO WatchBlog, GAO High-Risk List Highlights Ways to Save Billions (February 26, 2025):https://gao. gov/blog/gaos-high-risk-list-highlights-ways-save-billions-and-help-agencies-work-better
  • U. S. GAO, Government Performance: Confronting High Risksand Fiscal Challenges (GAO-26-108824, Highlights):https://gao. gov/assets/gao-26-108824-highlights. pdf
  • U. S. GAO, Fraud and Improper Payments:https://gao. gov/fraud-improper-payments
  • U. S. GAO, Afghanistan Reconstruction: GAO Work since 2002 Shows Systemic Internal Control Weaknesses (GAO-21-32R):https://gao. gov/assets/720/712083.pdf
  • U. S. GAO, FraudNet:https://www. gao. gov/about/what-gao-does/fraudnet
  • U. S. Department of Justice, False Claims Act Settlementsand Judgments Exceed $2.9 B in Fiscal Year 2024 (Press Release 25-58, January 15, 2025):https://www. justice. gov/archives/opa/pr/false-claims-act-settlements-and-judgments-exceed-29b-fiscal-year-2024
  • U. S. Department of Justice, National Health Care Fraud Enforcement Action Results in 193 Defendants Charged (June 27, 2024):https://www. justice. gov/archives/opa/pr/national-health-care-fraud-enforcement-action-results-193-defendants-charged-and-over-275-0
  • U. S. Department of Justice, COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force Releases 2024 Report (April 9, 2024):https://www. justice. gov/archives/opa/pr/covid-19-fraud-enforcement-task-force-releases-2024-report
  • U. S. Department of the Treasury, Bureau of the Fiscal Service, Do Not Pay:https://fiscal. treasury. gov/payment-integrity/do-not-pay-dnp
  • Oversight. gov, Where to report fraud, waste, abuse, or retaliation:https://www. oversight. gov/where-report-fraud-waste-abuse-or-retaliation
  • Oversight. gov, Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency (CIGIE:https://www. oversight. gov/inspectors-general/council-inspectors-general-integrity-and-efficiency
  • Office of Management and Budget, PaymentAccuracy. gov:https://paymentaccuracy. gov
  • Congressional Research Service, Payment Integrity: Data Access as a Driver of Overpayments (IF12936:https://www. congress. gov/crs_external_products/IF/HTML/IF12936.html

This article was prepared for informational purposes from public government sources only. It does not allege wrongdoing by any individual or entity, and all descriptions of pending matters are allegations unless noted otherwise.

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