What is the OIG Hotline?
The OIG operates a toll-free, nationwide Hotline (1-800-964-FDIC) to provide a convenient way for FDIC employees, its contractors, and others to report incidents of fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement within FDIC and its contractor operations. It is an employee's responsibility to report suspected instances of fraud, waste, abuse, or mismanagement in FDIC programs or operations.

How Do I Report Fraud, Waste, and Abuse?

Telephone: 1-800-964-FDIC Telephone: 1-703-562-6444 (Fax) Write: Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General: Hotline 3501 Fairfax Drive Room VS-D-9069 Arlington, VA 22226 Electronic mail: ighotline@fdic.gov View list of OIG Field Office Contacts

How Does it Work?
When a call is placed to the toll-free number, the caller is asked to provide details to a hotline staff member. Individuals may report information openly, anonymously, or confidentially. When a complaint is received by letter or electronic mail, the author should include as much information as possible, answering Who, What, When, Where, and How about the alleged incident. While not required, a telephone number and/or address is useful to allow us to follow-up with additional questions.

A Hotline analyst creates a record of the contact, and OIG officials carefully review each allegation to determine if it warrants review or investigation. If criminal activity, or other serious wrong doing is alleged, an OIG investigator or auditor is assigned to pursue the allegations. Other matters may be referred to FDIC management officials to review.

Confidentiality Policy
An individual who contacts the Hotline can report information openly, anonymously, or confidentially. Individuals who contact us by electronic mail are not anonymous to hotline staff.

Confidentiality is granted to any FDIC employee reporting a problem to the Hotline via telephone or in writing through the regular mail, subject to the provisions of Section 7(b) of the Inspector General Act of 1978 as amended. This provision requires that an employee's identity not be disclosed without his/her consent or unless the Inspector General determines that disclosure is unavoidable in the course of the investigation. Non-FDIC employees who contact the Hotline may request confidentiality and be assured that their identities will not be disclosed, except as required by law. Please note that individuals who contact the Hotline by electronic mail, cannot be assured of confidentiality due to the non-secure nature of electronic mail systems.

Established Hotline controls and procedures ensure that the identities of Hotline sources are protected to the extent possible. Moreover, the Inspector General Act and other federal laws prohibit reprisal actions against federal employees who make a complaint or disclose information to the Inspector General.

What Should be Reported
Any situation that involves suspected fraud, waste, abuse, or mismanagement of FDIC programs, operations, and resources should be reported to the OIG Hotline. Some examples of wrongdoing that should be reported include:

• contract and procurement fraud or collusion;
• misuse, embezzlement, or theft of government property or funds;
• bribery and acceptance of gratuities;
• employee misconduct such as misuse of official position and acceptance of unauthorized gifts
;
• conflicts of interest;
• gross waste or mismanagement of government resources; and
• other unethical or illegal activities.

Regardless of the method of communication you use when issuing a report, be sure to include as much information as possible such as: Who? What? Where? When? Why? How?

The OIG Cannot ...

• enforce banking rules or regulations,
• act as a legal advisor, or
• resolve or mediate disputes between individuals and the FDIC or its member banks.