Criminal Tip Rewards Pilot Program - FAQs

The National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”) Criminal Tip Rewards Pilot Program (“Fraud Rewards Program”) accelerates fraud detection by providing a defined financial reward between $10,000 and $30,000 for actionable tips paid after charges are unsealed. While most existing Government whistleblower rewards programs provide for payment only after final resolution of a criminal matter, including the forfeiture and appeals process, the Fraud Rewards Program rewards tips at a much earlier stage of a prosecution.

This pilot program is part of the Administration’s whole-of-government approach to identifying fraud and incentivizing voluntary disclosure of fraudulent activity. Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 530C(b)(1)(L), the Department may pay rewards in its sole discretion pursuant to public advertisements for assistance to the Department of Justice. 

Through the whistleblower portal at America.gov/fraud.

Use of the portal is strongly encouraged, and the Department may deny an award solely on the basis that the tip was not received through the established portal. The Department may consider awards for tips submitted through other channels in its sole discretion on a case-by-case basis. As such, voluntary submissions to the Fraud Division that otherwise meet the eligibility criteria may be considered for whistleblower rewards. 

At this time, to be eligible for the $10,000 to $30,000 payment at the time of charging, the information must relate to: (1) Federal health care offenses and related crimes involving health care benefit programs or fraud against patients or others in the health care industry; or (2) fraud on programs or benefits administered by the Department of Agriculture (e.g., the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), the Department of Labor (e.g., unemployment fraud), the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Department of Education (e.g., student aid fraud), the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of War, or the Small Business Administration. The Fraud Rewards Program will prioritize submissions involving the following subject matter areas: (1) hospice fraud, (2) home health care fraud, (3) day care fraud, and (4) special services fraud.  See the program guidance at www.justice.gov/fraud/whistleblower for more details about the covered offenses. 

Whistleblowers are encouraged to submit sufficient information so that the Fraud Division can readily identify the specific criminal violation and the subjects involved in the conduct, as well as the source of the whistleblower’s information.

Yes. For two reasons: (1) An individual who reports other types of fraud may still assist the Government in uncovering a federal crime involving one or more of the covered areas, and therefore still be eligible for the $10,000 to $30,000 reward payment under this program; and (2) an individual may qualify for a cash reward under another whistleblower program. 

Because tips through Fraud.gov do not lead to the investigation of non-fraud tips, we encourage you to report crimes to local law enforcement and/or submit reports to other law enforcement agencies such as the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, which can be found at https://www.ic3.gov/.

No. Because the $10,000 to $30,000 reward payment is not tied to forfeiture, even tips about unsuccessful fraud schemes, or fraud schemes that result in little or no loss amount, are eligible for payment consideration where the whistleblower’s tip leads to criminal charges and otherwise meets the requirements of the Fraud Rewards Program. 

A whistleblower must voluntarily provide original, specific, truthful, complete, and timely information of a covered criminal offense that leads to unsealed criminal charges. Additional information about these and other criteria is available at www.justice.gov/fraud/whistleblower.

A whistleblower cannot be otherwise obligated to provide information under a subpoena, compulsion order, cooperation provision of a plea agreement or non-prosecution agreement, pre-existing corporate leniency application, non-compulsory Department of Justice request, or in connection with any criminal investigation or prosecution or civil enforcement action. 

Note that if a company receives a subpoena and its employees are not personally obligated to provide information pursuant to that subpoena, you as an employee may still voluntarily provide information and potentially qualify for a whistleblower reward if you otherwise meet the requirements. See www.justice.gov/fraud/whistleblower for more information about what constitutes voluntary information.

Original information must be derived from independent knowledge or independent analysis of public or private data. Original information cannot already be known to the Fraud Division or law enforcement agencies, or merely repeat information from public sources such as allegations made in court or from news media. See www.justice.gov/fraud/whistleblower for more information about what constitutes original information. 

Timely information is required to ensure the availability of witnesses and evidence and to permit any available charges to be brought within the applicable statute of limitations period.  

Tipsters are eligible for an award between $10,000 and $30,000 for each distinct tip. It is within the Department’s sole discretion to determine whether separate tips are distinct or related. 

If a qualifying tip leads the Department of Justice to obtain and unseal an indictment or criminal complaint, the Department of Justice will promptly determine in its sole discretion whether the individual will receive a reward payment pursuant to the Fraud Rewards Program. Eligible individuals will soon thereafter be contacted to receive their reward. You do not have to wait until the defendant pleads guilty, is sentenced, and exhausts his or her appeals.  

Individuals can be deemed ineligible for a payout for a number of reasons, including if:

• The whistleblower is a company or another type of entity. A qualifying whistleblower must be an individual.
• The whistleblower is, or was at the time he or she acquired the original information provided to the Fraud Division, an official, employee, or contractor of the Department of Justice or any law enforcement organization or a spouse, parent, child, or sibling of an official, employee, or contractor of the Department, or the tipster resided in the same household as an official, employee, or contractor of the Department.
• The whistleblower is, or was at the time he or she acquired the original information provided to the Fraud Division, an elected or appointed foreign government official.
• The whistleblower meaningfully participated in the criminal activity, including by directing, planning, initiating, or knowingly profiting from that criminal activity. 
• In the whistleblower’s submission, dealings with the Fraud Division, or dealings with another authority in connection with a related action, the individual knowingly and willfully made or makes any false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement or representation, withheld or withholds material or significant information, or used or uses any writing or document knowing that it contains any false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement or entry with intent to mislead or otherwise hinder the Department or another authority, or otherwise interfered or interferes with or obstructed or obstructs any Department of Justice investigations.
• The whistleblower acquired the original information from a person: (1) who is otherwise ineligible, unless the tipster is providing the Department with information about possible violations involving that person; or (2) with the intent to evade any other restriction.

Whistleblower submissions made through the online portal are reviewed by staff under the direction of the Assistant Attorney General for the National Fraud Enforcement Division. Whistleblowers may or may not be contacted for additional information.

Yes, although each whistleblower would need to voluntarily provide separate original and non-public information. If two whistleblowers submitted identical information, only the first submission would be eligible for a reward because the information received from the second would not be original. 

No, a whistleblower must be an individual, though a whistleblower can be represented by counsel. 

A whistleblower is ineligible if they meaningfully participated in the criminal activity, including by directing, planning, initiating, or knowingly profiting from that criminal activity. Notwithstanding this requirement, an individual remains eligible for an award if the Department determines, in its sole discretion, that the individual’s minimal role in the reported scheme was sufficiently limited. In such cases, the Department in its sole discretion will consider the individual’s role in the criminal violations in assessing the amount of an award for which they may be eligible.

The Department will not publicly disclose any information, including information you submit to the Department, that could reasonably be expected to reveal the identity of a tipster, except as required by law, Department policy as determined by the Department in its sole discretion, or unless and until required to be disclosed to a defendant in connection with a judicial or administrative proceeding.