Summary: In response to a congressional request, GAO summarized its operation of the GAO Fraud Hotline for the past 9 years.
GAO objectives and goals were to: (1) operate a toll-free hotline that anyone in the United States could use to report allegations of fraud or abuse in the administration of federal funds; (2) refer any allegations to agency Inspectors General and ensure proper investigations and corrective responses; and (3) provide assistance to federal, state, and local organizations in establishing their own hotlines. GAO found that, of the 13,992 calls that warranted further review: (1) 5,397 were reports of work-hour abuse, private use of government property, policy noncompliance, improper financial transactions, theft, or unnecessary equipment purchases; (2) 3,792 reported improper receipt of welfare, disability, social security disability, social security, or veterans benefits; (3) 2,681 reported improper expenditure of government funds, partial contractor performance, noncompliance with contract regulations, false grant and contract information, or property or funds theft; and (4) 2,122 reported tax cheating, bribery, and conflicts-of-interest. GAO also found that: (1) it closed 11,246 cases; (2) 146 resulted in legal action; and (3) there were convictions in 47 cases.
