FEMA Statement on Fraud in Assistance Programs
The level of processing error and fraud associated with FEMA's programs are intolerable. This assistance is intended for disaster victims, and it is despicable that individuals fraudulently exploited FEMA programs or spent money on anything but emergency needs.
As part of retooling FEMA, the problems that GAO has reported were identified, and we have been aggressively overhauling our processes to eliminate processing errors and fraudulent abuse that individuals exploited during Katrina.
FEMA has already implemented more stringent controls and safeguards that are in place for the 2006 hurricane season. We have upgraded our Internet registration system to reject any duplicate registrations. We're using identity proofing software so that all Individual and Households Program (IHP) registrations are subjected to the same stringent criteria that includes verification of Social Security numbers. We've improved FEMA's processing software to identify duplicate Social Security numbers at registration. We're amending automated scripts to ensure no scripted payments are sent to applicants who failed identity proofing. And, in rare circumstances where transitional housing or expedited assistance is used, we are implementing the use of authorization codes to safeguard against duplicate payments and reducing the amount of that assistance provided and eliminating the use of debit cards. -- Aaron Walker, FEMA National Spokesman
More Information
- Improving Safeguards in the Delivery of FEMA Assistance Programs (PDF 126KB, TXT 5KB)
- Statement of Donna M. Dannels, Acting Deputy Director of Recovery, DHS/FEMA, before the Investigations Subcommittee of the Homeland Security Committee, U.S. House of Representatives, June 14, 2006 (PDF 97KB, TXT 15KB)
Last Modified: Thursday, 13-Jul-2006 16:20:05 EDT