Waste, Fraud & Abuse
GAO saved the federal government $67.5 billion in fiscal 2024
The watchdog’s open recommendations could be a foundation for the new Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency.
Trump and Musk want to create a government efficiency commission. It’s not a new idea
Presidents Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton both spearheaded initiatives to reduce government waste and inefficiency, although they went about it in vastly different ways.
AI tools helped Treasury recover billions in fraud and improper payments
Risk screening, check fraud detection and more have helped the government recover more than $4 billion, Treasury announced.
Lawmakers mull a fraud-focused scorecard for oversight
Agency watchdogs warned lawmakers that their centralized fraud analytics capacity could end next year without congressional action.
Trump vows to establish an 'efficiency commission' with Elon Musk at the helm
The former president said the Tesla CEO has “agreed” to head up a task force aimed at cutting federal programs.
Slam the Scam, again
Some tips for avoiding scams and resources for help if you become victim to a scam artist.
Watchdog urges OMB to prioritize implementation of anti-fraud recommendations
GAO updated the budget agency on the 172 recommendations that it has not completed.
Agencies have only completed about half of GAO’s COVID-19 recommendations
Many of the open recommendations deal with matters on GAO’s high risk list.
Transportation’s working capital fund is missing controls for cost recovery, IG warns
The watchdog’s findings include an accidental overbilling by upwards of $16,000.
Divide and conquer improper payments
COMMENTARY| Fraud prevention and detection require a different level of focus, argues one former federal CFO.
Lawmakers update proposal to cut down on billions in improper payments
Agencies would be required to include details on their anti-fraud controls and fraud risk management work in annual financial reports.
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FCC fines major wireless carriers $200M for illegally selling customer location data
Two wireless providers said they plan to appeal the fine.
Taxes are due even if you object to government policies or doubt the validity of the 16th Amendment’s ratification
The IRS "has stated repeatedly that a taxpayer does not have the right to refuse to pay taxes based on religious or moral beliefs."
Using AI to fight fraud is paying off, Treasury says
The tech has helped recover over $375 million since Treasury began using it over a year ago.
The FTC is attacking drugmakers’ ‘patent thickets’
The agency says drugmakers illegitimately use the patents to prevent competitors from offering cheaper generic alternatives.
Former DHS employees sentenced for plot to steal government software, databases
The trio wanted to to build a commercial software product that would have been sold to government agencies.
Social Security clawbacks hit a million more people than the agency chief told Congress
At issue is the scope of a problem that has terrified many Social Security beneficiaries and plunged them into financial distress.
In Congress, calls mount for Social Security to address clawbacks
The Social Security Administration routinely sends notices to beneficiaries saying they received benefits to which they weren’t entitled — and demanding they pay the government back, often within 30 days.
From payment accuracy to program integrity
COMMENTARY | The staggering level of pandemic fraud coupled with mounting concerns about the size and trajectory of the nation’s debt load should elevate program integrity as a top management focus, writes one observer.
How more than $600M in COVID relief funds awarded last year went unreported
The problem is even bigger this year, according to the Government Accountability Office. The lack of reporting makes it difficult to track fraud, waste and abuse.
