BOARD CONTINUES CONTRACT FOR WELFARE FRAUD HOTLINE

 

 

 

 

PRESS RELEASE

Contact:  Tony Bell, Communications Deputy    Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich    Office:  (213) 974-5555   Cell: (213) 215-5176    E-mail:  tbell@bos.lacounty.gov

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

February 17, 2009                                                                                                        For Immediate Release

 

BOARD CONTINUES CONTRACT FOR WELFARE FRAUD HOTLINE

 

LOS ANGELES COUNTY – A $200,000 three-year contract with We Tip, Inc. has been approved to continue the Welfare Fraud Reporting and Informant Reward Program and the Welfare Fraud Hotline, announced Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich.

 

In December 1987, the Board of Supervisors approved Supervisor Antonovich’s motion to develop the Welfare Fraud Hotline, which allows the public, including county employees, to anonymously report welfare fraud 24 hours a day, seven days a week.   The service receives 2,300 calls per year.

 

We Tip, Inc. provides trained multilingual operators experienced in questioning callers to elicit sufficient details of reported instances of suspected welfare fraud crimes in order to report this information to the Department of Public Social Services.

 

Since its inception, the Welfare Fraud Hotline has detected over $16 million of fraudulent overpayment in over 22,000 reported cases.  DPSS is working collaboratively with the District Attorney’s Office and We Tip, Inc. to ensure all tax dollars are protected from those who would abuse the system. 

 

The toll-free number for the Welfare Fraud Hotline is 1-800-87-FRAUD (37283).

 

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