Frequently Asked Questions

The Office of Fraud and Accountability has the authority to investigate these types of allegations:

  1. Unreported employment: The client is suspected of not reporting employment.
  2. Unearned income: The client is suspected of not reporting the receipt of recurring income not derived from employment.
  3. Unreported assets: The client is suspected of having one or more of the following assets: Real estate, vehicles, boats, motor homes, monetary holdings, etc.

You may report fraud using any one of the following methods:

P.O. Box 45817

Olympia, Washington 98504-5817

  • Welfare Fraud Hotline: 1-800-562-6906

Note: To report suspected Medicaid fraud, contact the Medicaid Fraud Control Division in the Office of the State Attorney General.

  1. An Office of Fraud and Accountability Welfare Fraud Hotline Coordinator receives or takes your report. If you wish to remain anonymous, do not provide your name as it may be subject to public disclosure. Otherwise, please provide your name and phone number so one of our investigators may contact you if additional information is needed.

  2. The Coordinator sends the report out for investigation.

  3. The investigation begins. Each one is different, as is the time it takes to complete them. By law, we cannot provide a status report on welfare fraud investigations.

  4. When the investigation is complete, we send the results to the appropriate Community Services Office (Welfare Office). If an overpayment has occurred, the following can happen:

  • Proceedings can begin to collect the overpayment.

  • We need to say something her about disqualifications.

  • The case may be referred to a county prosecutor.

Welfare fraud occurs when individuals receive benefits for which they are not eligible through intentional misstatement or failure to reveal information that would affect eligibility. Welfare fraud also may involve benefits trafficking by clients or vendors.