Fraud schemes target ways around internal agency controls, for example through document manipulation, false declarations, and fictitious entities. Image: Jason Raff/Shutterstock.com
By: FEDweek StaffFederal agencies “did not strategically manage fraud risks and were not adequately prepared to prevent fraud” in pandemic relief programs, GAO has said, recommending that they act even now since such schemes “are widespread and will continue to unfold for years to come.”
A witness noted before a House hearing that some 1,400 individuals or entities have been found guilty or liable on fraud-related charges against numerous federal agencies and programs, and said that more cases still are pending—as are some 142 recommendations to agencies in identifying and combatting fraud.
“Agencies have the opportunity to learn from the experiences during the pandemic and to ensure that they are strategically managing their fraud risks. Doing so by leveraging available resources and adhering to requirements will enable them to carry out their missions and better protect taxpayer dollars from fraud during normal operations and prepare them to face the next emergency,” she said.
“Better understanding the nature of federal fraud schemes and the resources available to combat them can enhance agency efforts to prevent, detect, and respond to fraud risk during normal operations and emergencies,” she said, pointing to available resources such as GAO’s “A Framework for Managing Fraud Risks in Federal Programs” and the Bureau of the Fiscal Service’s “Antifraud Playbook.”
She said that fraud schemes target ways around internal agency controls, for example through document manipulation, false declarations, and fictitious entities to gain benefits through programs where agencies rely on self-certification for eligibility. “Confirming the eligibility and identity of individuals receiving payments, such as by confirming wage information or verifying identity through data and other checks, are key controls to prevent fraud schemes that rely on such mechanisms,” she said.
Falsification of documents often centers on forgery or alternation of documents such as tax forms, payroll records and bank statements, she said.
“Public perception of widespread fraud in pandemic relief programs can erode trust in government—including confidence in the government’s ability to manage taxpayer dollars, to prevent fraud, and to pursue justice,” she added.
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