Types Of Fraud

Whistleblower cases under the False Claims Act, sometimes known as "qui tam" proceedings, are lawsuits brought by individuals who allege specific allegations of fraud and misbehavior by companies that have resulted in the government losing money.

What Are The Most Common Types of Fraud?

There are many different kinds of fraud, when it comes to whistleblower lawsuits. Here are just a few examples:

• Healthcare Fraud 
• Government Contract Fraud
• Construction Project Fraud
• Education Industry Fraud
• Financial Industry & Mortgage Fraud
• Environmental Fraud

Healthcare Fraud

The healthcare industry has seen some of the most significant fraud cases in recent years. One study found that between 2009 and 2015, Medicare paid out $17 billion to cover fraudulent claims. That’s a lot of money being taken from taxpayers!

The most common types of healthcare fraud involve the following:

• Medicare Advantage risk-adjustment fraud
• Medical loss ratio fraud
• Off-label marketing, kickbacks and other fraud by pharmaceutical companies
• Medical devices and implants
• Upcoding and unbundling/fragmentation
• Kickbacks
• Stark Law
• False certifications and information
• Lack of medical necessity
• Telemedicine fraud
• Electronic health records (EHR) fraud
• Kickbacks through physician speaker programs
• Grant or program fraud

Government Contract Fraud

The government has several ways it can detect fraud. It can look at contracts awarded to companies who have had previous issues with copy and check if they have any history of being investigated for fraud. It can also look at the company’s financial records and see any red flags. If the contract is large enough, the government can also request information from the contractor directly.

Construction Project Fraud

The cost of fraud in the construction industry is estimated at $10 billion per year. This type of fraud may include embezzlement, theft, bribery, kickbacks, bid-rigging, inflated prices, false billing, and nonpayment of bills. These crimes often involve collaboration between employees, subcontractors, and suppliers. 

Education Industry Fraud

The education industry has long been plagued by fraudsters who seek to take advantage of vulnerable students and their families. However, in recent years, the industry has seen a rise in cybercrime, including phishing scams, ransomware attacks, and malware infections. These threats often target schools, colleges, universities, and educational institutions, but they can affect any organization where sensitive information is stored online.

Financial Industry & Mortgage Fraud

The financial industry has been plagued by fraud for years. It was one of the first industries to adopt computerized systems to prevent fraud. These days, banks and credit unions employ automated tools to detect suspicious activity and flag transactions for review.

Environmental Fraud

The environment is one of the most critical issues facing society today. It’s not just about climate change – it’s about pollution, deforestation, biodiversity loss, water shortages, air quality, soil erosion, land degradation, and many other problems. Environmental fraud commonly concerns the cleanup of hazardous waste material at both federal and state facilities. The government estimates spending more than $500 billion for ecological cleanups over the next fifty years. 

Contact The Whistleblower Advocates for Suspected Fraud

Our whistleblower lawyers can represent your whistleblower case, and we offer free consultations for all types of whistleblower fraud lawsuits. For more information, you can contact The Whistleblower Advocates at (833) 310-3147 for a FREE, confidential consultation.