Entitlement Fraud

Extracted Attributes

• Definition

  The act of obtaining state benefits without entitlement or failing to report changes in circumstances to maintain benefits illegally.

• Primary Example

  Minnesota Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) Fraud.

• Growth Rate (US)

  242% increase in government benefits fraud offenses between fiscal year 2020 and 2024.

• Alleged Funding Target

  al-Shabaab (Terrorist organization).

• Median Loss (US FY 2017)

  $68,060 per offense.

• Top US District (FY 2024)

  Southern District of Florida (69 cases).

Timeline

• Canada estimates the total fraud and error rate in welfare allowances to be between 3% and 5%. (Source: Web Search: Welfare fraud)

  1994-01-01

• Canada reports that 3.5% of total employment insurance expenditure is attributable to fraud and error. (Source: Web Search: Welfare fraud)

  2003-01-01

• Canada reports savings of CA$800 million from entitlement reviews designed to prevent fraud during the 2004-05 period. (Source: Web Search: Welfare fraud)

  2005-01-01

• The UK Department for Work and Pensions claims fraudulent benefit claims amounted to approximately £900 million in 2008-09. (Source: Web Search: Welfare fraud)

  2009-01-01

• The US Sentencing Commission reports 477 government benefits fraud offenders, a 28.7% decrease from 2013. (Source: Web Search: Government Benefits Fraud Offenses)

  2017-01-01

• Baseline year for a subsequent 242% increase in US government benefits fraud offenses. (Source: Web Search: Government Benefits Fraud)

  2020-01-01

• GAO releases a fraud report highlighting that no area of the federal government is immune to fraud, including pandemic relief. (Source: Web Search: Elon Musk hints at a shocking fraud problem in Washington)

  2024-04-01

• The US Sentencing Commission reports 937 cases of government benefits fraud for the fiscal year. (Source: Web Search: Government Benefits Fraud)

  2024-10-01

Electoral fraud

Electoral fraud, sometimes referred to as election manipulation, election scam, voter fraud, or vote rigging, involves illegal interference with the process of an election, either by increasing the vote share of a favored candidate, depressing the vote share of rival candidates, or both. It differs from but often goes hand-in-hand with voter suppression. What exactly constitutes electoral fraud varies from country to country, though the goal is often election subversion. Electoral legislation outlaws many kinds of election fraud, but other practices violate general laws, such as those banning assault, harassment or libel. Although technically the term "electoral fraud" covers only those acts which are illegal, the term is sometimes used to describe acts which are legal, but considered morally unacceptable, outside the spirit of an election or in violation of the principles of democracy. Sham elections, featuring only one candidate, are sometimes classified as electoral fraud, although they may comply with the law and are presented more as referendums/plebiscites. In national elections, successful electoral fraud on a sufficient scale can have the effect of a coup d'état, protest or corruption of democracy. In a narrow election, a small amount of fraud may suffice to change the result. Even if the outcome is not affected, the revelation of fraud can reduce voters' confidence in democracy.

Web Search Results

• Welfare fraud

  In Canada, about 3.5% of total employment insurance expenditure was attributable to fraud and error in 2003. The total fraud and error rate in welfare allowances was estimated in 1994 to be 3-5%. In 2004–5, entitlement reviews designed to prevent fraud reported savings of CA$800 million in 2004–05. ### Denmark [edit] [...] Français Nederlands Simple English Suomi Svenska Edit links Article Talk Read Edit View history Tools Actions Read Edit View history General What links here Related changes Upload file Permanent link Page information Cite this page Get shortened URL Download QR code Print/export Download as PDF Printable version In other projects Wikimedia Commons Wikidata item Appearance From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Form of illegally using state welfare systems [...] The United Kingdom Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) defines benefit fraud as when someone obtains state benefit without being entitled to or deliberately failing to report a change in personal circumstances. The DWP claim that fraudulent benefit claims amounted to around £900 million in 2008–09.

• Elon Musk hints at a shocking fraud problem in Washington

  Citing the GAO April 2024 fraud report, Concord Action stressed that while the model shows big losses, “no area of the federal government is immune to fraud,” and the range reflects different risk environments, including pandemic relief programs. Musk, in contrast, appears to treat a broader universe of “waste and fraud” as essentially fraudulent, including suspected abuses in major entitlement programs and benefits he argues attract ineligible recipients. [...] It shapes what politicians promise. According to Al Jazeera, if voters believe a fifth of the budget is outright fraud, it is easier for candidates to say they can cut waste instead of raising taxes or touching Social Security and Medicare. It influences market expectations. Bond investors price U.S. debt assuming long‑term deficits and entitlement costs; overstating fraud may suggest more painless deficit reduction than is realistically available.

• Government Benefits Fraud

  a false claim to the federal or a state government involving assistance programs from federal agencies. [...] Of the 61,678 cases reported to the Commission in fiscal year 2024, 937 involved government benefits fraud.1,2 Government benefits fraud offenses have increased 242% since fiscal year 2020. Click the cover for the PDF handout or learn more below. ## Individual and Offense Characteristics [...] Sentences were decreased for: + minor or minimal participation in the offense (3.5%). The top five districts for government benefits fraud were: + Southern District of Florida (69); + Eastern District of North Carolina (35); + District of Puerto Rico (33); + District of South Carolina (29); + Eastern District of Virginia (26, tie); + Southern District of New York (26, tie); + Southern District of Texas (26, tie).

• What Is Fraud? - University of Southern Indiana

  Fraud is a deliberate act (or failure to act) with the intention of obtaining an unauthorized benefit, either for oneself or for the institution, by using deception or false suggestions or suppression of truth or other unethical means, which are believed and relied upon by others. Depriving another person or the institution of a benefit to which he/she/it is entitled by using any of the means described above also constitutes fraud.

• Government Benefits Fraud Offenses

  visit www.ussc.gov/research/quick-facts. [...]  Over one-third were Black (36.8%), followed by White (34.7%), Hispanic (22.5%), and Other Races (6.1%).  The average age of these offenders at sentencing was 44 years.  Over three-quarters of government benefits fraud offenders were United States citizens (79.7%).  The majority of government benefits fraud offenders had little or no prior criminal history (74.4% of these offenders were assigned to Criminal History Category I).  The median loss for these offenses was $68,060.  28.3% of [...] federal or state government involving assistance programs from federal agencies. Government Benefits Fraud Offenses2 In fiscal year 2017, there were 477 government benefits fraud offenders, who accounted for 0.8%3 of all offenders sentenced under the guidelines. The number of government benefits fraud offenders decreased by 28.7% from fiscal years 2013 to 2017. Offender and Offense Characteristics  In fiscal year 2017, nearly two-thirds of government benefits fraud offenders were men (59.7%).