Interstate Reporting Co., Inc. employs investigators with over 20 years of public assistance fraud fighting experience including the nationally recognized Certified Welfare Fraud Investigators (“CWFI”) certification.

Public Assistance Fraud involves deliberately deceiving government programs to obtain benefits that one is not entitled to receive. This type of fraud can occur in programs like food stamps (SNAP), Medicaid, housing assistance, and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).

Common forms of Public Assistance Fraud include:

• Misrepresentation of Income: Falsifying income information to qualify for benefits or to receive a higher benefit amount.
• Failure to Disclose Household Members: Not reporting all members of a household to increase the amount of benefits received.
• False Residency Claims: Claiming to live in a specific jurisdiction to qualify for benefits in that area.
• Double Dipping: Applying for the same benefits in multiple states or under multiple identities.
• Selling Benefits: Exchanging benefits like SNAP or EBT for cash, drugs, or other goods.
• Falsifying Medical Conditions: Providing false information about a medical condition to qualify for disability benefits or Medicaid.

Investigative Techniques for detecting public assistance fraud:

• Data Matching and Cross-Referencing: Government agencies use databases to cross-reference personal information such as social security numbers, addresses, and income records. This helps identify discrepancies in multiple benefit applications.
• Surveillance and Undercover Operations: Surveillance can verify residency claims, employment status, or suspected collusion among fraud participants.
• Forensic Accounting and Financial Analysis: Reviewing bank statements, tax records, and benefit disbursements to track patterns of fraudulent spending or double dipping.
• Social Media Monitoring: Fraudsters often inadvertently disclose incriminating information online, such as expensive purchases or travel, that contradict their reported financial status.
• Interviews: Conducting structured interviews with the suspect, family members, or co-conspirators to uncover inconsistencies in their statements.

Public assistance fraud is typically investigated by state and federal agencies, such as the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) or the Department of Human Services (DHS). Penalties can range from fines and benefit disqualification to imprisonment, depending on the severity and extent of the fraud.