Anti-­Fraud Hotline Project

The Anti­Fraud Hotline Project funds a multi­lingual hotline that allows individuals to report allegations of fraud, waste, and abuse in USAID projects. The hotline enables communication in English, Urdu, Pashto, Sindhi, and Baloch via phone, conventional mail, a web­based interface, and email. Complaints received via the hotline are transferred to USAID's Office of the Inspector General for review and investigation. The Office of the Inspector General is solely responsible for investigating all complaints and taking appropriate measures to address them.
 
OBJECTIVES
 
The main objective of the Anti­Fraud Hotline Project is to prevent fraud, waste, and abuse in USAID projects by engaging citizens in in oversight and watchdog activities.
 
MAIN ACTIVITIES
  • Establish hotline facilities
  • Conduct recurring public information campaigns about the hotline in broadcast and print media
  • Analyze, investigate, refer, and follow up on complaints as appropriate
  • Increase knowledge and skills of development partners in how to prevent fraud.
RESULTS TO DATE
  • Anti­fraud hotline operational as of January 2011
  • On average 70­80 calls received and uploaded to the hotline database per week
  • In previous quarter (October­ December 2012) the hotline received 432 complaints, bringing the total to 2,512. Complaints are received through email, facsimile, mail and in person.
  • Anti- Fraud Hotline is widely advertised through television, radio, newspapers and billboards. From this outreach, there is an increase in awareness of fraud and the unacceptability of fraud. Since people do not always differentiate by who is funding a project, the hotline even receives complaints related to programs not funded by USG. More than 800 complaints have been forwarded to the concerned organizations. There is interest among donors on how to set up similar mechanisms for reducing fraud.