My civic duty?Where to report fraud?

[Anonymous]

I'm angry...at people who take and take and have no moral to do the right thing! It really ruins it for people who are honest and rightfully deserve the help.
I found out that a few people i know (not well) are taking advantage of programs put in placed to help them and people like them. I'm talking about the state disability program that give free money to them. Yes, it isn't their problem that the state doesn't do its job and monitor them (thus allowing them to take advantage of it)..but these people are despicable! They are collecting hundreds (one couple gets almost &700each month) and they have gone on an extended vacation! They now live in Vietnam (where things are much cheaper relative to here) and still reaping the benefits of these deposits each month into their checking accounts..then having their daughter/son make the withdrawals and sending them the money!!! I want to do something about it, but where and how do i go about reporting it? Can it be done without putting myself on the line. These people used to live in the village where my parents lived (and we used to live next door to them years ago) and I don't want them to be involved. My parents are angry and want their friend caught, but they don't want to be in the middle of it. Is there a way for me to report it without giving out my information?

[Anonymous]

Trolly Polly

[Anonymous]

Each federal agency has an inspector general's hotline. It's anonymous.

[Anonymous]

I struggle with something similar. A relative of my husband and his wife own a business. It is classified as a 'woman owned and operated" business for the purpose of bidding on gov't contracts. However, she is mostly a co owner and not an operator. If she works 40 hours a month it would shock me. She has never run a business in her life and is mostly a stay at home mom. She did go to a class to learn about the industry and does some administrative duties and signs off on stuff...not saying she is totally hands off. But to say it is substantially run by a woman who has a credentials and experience to run it? Hardly. He does though. He works his ass off and coaches her through the stuff she does do. But it still bugs me.

[Anonymous]

Didn't you post the same thing last month? Yawn.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I struggle with something similar. A relative of my husband and his wife own a business. It is classified as a 'woman owned and operated" business for the purpose of bidding on gov't contracts. However, she is mostly a co owner and not an operator. If she works 40 hours a month it would shock me. She has never run a business in her life and is mostly a stay at home mom. She did go to a class to learn about the industry and does some administrative duties and signs off on stuff...not saying she is totally hands off. But to say it is substantially run by a woman who has a credentials and experience to run it? Hardly. He does though. He works his ass off and coaches her through the stuff she does do. But it still bugs me.

Happens ALL the time. Same thing with SDVO and 8(a) and other preferences. Federal contracting regs need a total overhaul.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I struggle with something similar. A relative of my husband and his wife own a business. It is classified as a 'woman owned and operated" business for the purpose of bidding on gov't contracts. However, she is mostly a co owner and not an operator. If she works 40 hours a month it would shock me. She has never run a business in her life and is mostly a stay at home mom. She did go to a class to learn about the industry and does some administrative duties and signs off on stuff...not saying she is totally hands off. But to say it is substantially run by a woman who has a credentials and experience to run it? Hardly. He does though. He works his ass off and coaches her through the stuff she does do. But it still bugs me.

Happens ALL the time. Same thing with SDVO and 8(a) and other preferences. Federal contracting regs need a total overhaul.

agree. some people really scam the system. and I'm not so sure that trying to channel so much into entreprenuership as opposed to actual, W-2, benefits-paying jobs is the answer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I struggle with something similar. A relative of my husband and his wife own a business. It is classified as a 'woman owned and operated" business for the purpose of bidding on gov't contracts. However, she is mostly a co owner and not an operator. If she works 40 hours a month it would shock me. She has never run a business in her life and is mostly a stay at home mom. She did go to a class to learn about the industry and does some administrative duties and signs off on stuff...not saying she is totally hands off. But to say it is substantially run by a woman who has a credentials and experience to run it? Hardly. He does though. He works his ass off and coaches her through the stuff she does do. But it still bugs me.

Happens ALL the time. Same thing with SDVO and 8(a) and other preferences. Federal contracting regs need a total overhaul.

Is there nothing that can be done? Is there no oversight or supervision? Does the gov't just take people at their word that they are going to run the business or are black or even that they are actually a woman or whatever? Is there any kind of anonymous whistleblowing program for this types of scams/frauds? That is just so wrong and I do not appreciate my tax $$ being given to folks like that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I struggle with something similar. A relative of my husband and his wife own a business. It is classified as a 'woman owned and operated" business for the purpose of bidding on gov't contracts. However, she is mostly a co owner and not an operator. If she works 40 hours a month it would shock me. She has never run a business in her life and is mostly a stay at home mom. She did go to a class to learn about the industry and does some administrative duties and signs off on stuff...not saying she is totally hands off. But to say it is substantially run by a woman who has a credentials and experience to run it? Hardly. He does though. He works his ass off and coaches her through the stuff she does do. But it still bugs me.

Hey there are you talking about my SIL? Because this is so her! My brother works his ass off at their company but she is the owner so that they can claim women owned. She spends most of her time at Neimans!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I struggle with something similar. A relative of my husband and his wife own a business. It is classified as a 'woman owned and operated" business for the purpose of bidding on gov't contracts. However, she is mostly a co owner and not an operator. If she works 40 hours a month it would shock me. She has never run a business in her life and is mostly a stay at home mom. She did go to a class to learn about the industry and does some administrative duties and signs off on stuff...not saying she is totally hands off. But to say it is substantially run by a woman who has a credentials and experience to run it? Hardly. He does though. He works his ass off and coaches her through the stuff she does do. But it still bugs me.

Happens ALL the time. Same thing with SDVO and 8(a) and other preferences. Federal contracting regs need a total overhaul.

agree. some people really scam the system. and I'm not so sure that trying to channel so much into entreprenuership as opposed to actual, W-2, benefits-paying jobs is the answer.

I agree with you on the sentiment--but contractors can and do employ people with benefits and W-2s. In other words, the employees of a contractor are not necessarily 1099'd self-employed contractors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I struggle with something similar. A relative of my husband and his wife own a business. It is classified as a 'woman owned and operated" business for the purpose of bidding on gov't contracts. However, she is mostly a co owner and not an operator. If she works 40 hours a month it would shock me. She has never run a business in her life and is mostly a stay at home mom. She did go to a class to learn about the industry and does some administrative duties and signs off on stuff...not saying she is totally hands off. But to say it is substantially run by a woman who has a credentials and experience to run it? Hardly. He does though. He works his ass off and coaches her through the stuff she does do. But it still bugs me.

Happens ALL the time. Same thing with SDVO and 8(a) and other preferences. Federal contracting regs need a total overhaul.

agree. some people really scam the system. and I'm not so sure that trying to channel so much into entreprenuership as opposed to actual, W-2, benefits-paying jobs is the answer.

I agree with you on the sentiment--but contractors can and do employ people with benefits and W-2s. In other words, the employees of a contractor are not necessarily 1099'd self-employed contractors.

yeah, but my point is the socioeconomic goals of promoting economic advantages for vets or women or whoever--are the 8a contractors required to hire vets/women? I don't think so. that's my point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I struggle with something similar. A relative of my husband and his wife own a business. It is classified as a 'woman owned and operated" business for the purpose of bidding on gov't contracts. However, she is mostly a co owner and not an operator. If she works 40 hours a month it would shock me. She has never run a business in her life and is mostly a stay at home mom. She did go to a class to learn about the industry and does some administrative duties and signs off on stuff...not saying she is totally hands off. But to say it is substantially run by a woman who has a credentials and experience to run it? Hardly. He does though. He works his ass off and coaches her through the stuff she does do. But it still bugs me.

Happens ALL the time. Same thing with SDVO and 8(a) and other preferences. Federal contracting regs need a total overhaul.

Is there nothing that can be done? Is there no oversight or supervision? Does the gov't just take people at their word that they are going to run the business or are black or even that they are actually a woman or whatever? Is there any kind of anonymous whistleblowing program for this types of scams/frauds? That is just so wrong and I do not appreciate my tax $$ being given to folks like that.

Well, I think they are supposed to self-certify. Does anyone actually follow up and audit? I don't know. There are whistleblower hotlines you can call. But the fraud is so endemic to the programs, but no one in congress wants to be accused of picking on disabled vets or small business, so they are practically untouchable.

[Anonymous]

OMG people, MYOB before you p*ss off the wrong person! Really, some of you don't know when to say when and find yourselves a hobby? I bet your spouses are proud of you (sarcasm)!

[Anonymous]

I am absolutely baffled by those who are supposedly "so busy", but are hell bent on complaining about what they think others are doing. Unless you physically live with them, you don't have all the details. Stop being a know it all who knows nothing. That is the worst kind. Look at your own, OP.