Report Nutrition Program Fraud

USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service is fully committed to eliminating fraud, waste, and abuse from taxpayer-funded nutrition programs and you can help. If you have information about potential misuse and abuse, we want to hear from you.

Learn more about how, what, and why to report fraud below.

Report Fraud Now

If you suspect someone is abusing federal nutrition programs:

State agencies are responsible for investigating individuals and households who are receiving benefits. Report directly to the relevant state agency by clicking on the map and selecting the state where the potential fraud occurred for information on how to submit your report.

If you have evidence of criminal activity, large-scale mismanagement of funds, fraud occurring in multiple states, or state or federal employee misconduct:

Report it to the USDA Office of Inspector General using any of the methods below.

Whichever way you report, you can choose to stay anonymous. You are not required to include your name, and all reports will be taken seriously.

Information to Provide

When reporting suspected fraud, waste, and abuse, include as much information as possible to support the investigation, including:

• Detailed descriptions: What happened, by who, where, when, and how (if known).
• Identifying information: Specific names of who you suspect is committing fraud, names of those who reside in the household, any known addresses associated with the individuals or retailers, known work location(s), location(s) where the suspected fraud is taking place, etc.
• Contextual information: Background information that explains the circumstances as to why you believe the individual, household, feeding site, retailer, or other benefit recipient is committing fraud. Provide as much detail as possible.
• Evidence or documentation: Receipts, screenshots, photos, contact information of any witnesses, tips for how to get additional evidence, etc., however, evidence is not necessary when making a report of fraud.

What is Program Fraud, and How Do I Spot It?

Fraud is when a person, organization, business, or group breaks the law or program rules on purpose to get benefits, extra benefits, money, or services they are not entitled to. This includes lying to get benefits, using program resources in ways that are not allowed, or engaging in activities designed to steal from the American taxpayer. While rules vary by program and state, some of the common types of fraud and examples are listed below.

Individuals

 

Recipients of SNAP, WIC, free or reduced-price school meals, and other nutrition programs:

• Lying about income, household members, or age to qualify for benefits
• Selling benefits for cash or non-food items
• Receiving the same program benefits in multiple states or under multiple names
• Claiming benefits for a disaster that did not affect the household

Examples

• Someone you know receives SNAP, but you suspect she does not report the income for her child’s father who also resides in the home.
• Someone you know of who receives benefits each month just bought a luxury car and brags about how much he spent on his recent vacation.
• Someone offers to sell you their benefits at a discounted rate, suggests he can place an online pickup order for you, or give them to you in exchange for services such as hair care or transportation.
• Someone you know of recently started a business selling breakfast burritos. He mentioned that he receives more SNAP benefits than he needs each month so he uses the leftover benefits to purchase food for his business.
• Someone you know of charges to babysit other people’s children. She prefers to be paid in cash or through a mobile payment app because she receives SNAP benefits, but does not consider babysitting to be a real job so she doesn’t report the income to the state.
• Someone approaches you to sell their benefits, place an online order for you, or provide you their benefit card in exchange for services like transportation.
• Someone you suspect receives WIC is reselling cans of formula.

 

Organizations

 

Schools, childcare providers, summer meal sites, food distribution sites, and other organizations operating nutrition programs:

• Lying about how many meals and snacks were served to claim reimbursement
• Charging participants for meals that should be no cost because they are part of a federal program
• Misusing reimbursement funds for personal expenses or luxury goods
• Claiming funds for fake organizations, made-up sites, or nonexistent people

Examples

• An employee of a day care center discloses to you that the owner claims reimbursement for non-existent students.
• You are asked to pay cash for food at a summer meals site or food bank.
• Someone you know brags about scamming money out of his brother’s business, which operates a federally funded meal program.

 

Stores

 

Retailers and markets that accept SNAP, WIC, and other EBT benefits:

• Accepting benefits for ineligible items, like alcohol or tobacco
• Offering cash in exchange for benefits
• Lying about the products they sell to be eligible to accept benefits

Examples

• You hear the owner of a local store accepts EBT previously owned a store that got in trouble for selling ineligible items or trafficking benefits.
• You are offered cash or ineligible items for your benefits.
• There is a smoke shop in your neighborhood that accepts SNAP but offers no food for sale.
• The small convenience store on the corner offers food purchases on credit for customers who receive SNAP.

 

Why Report Fraud

USDA spends nearly $380 million PER DAY across its 16 nutrition programs to provide critical nutrition support to vulnerable Americans. Protect your tax dollars and those truly in need.

If you see something, say something.

Fraud Fighting Success