The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children - better known as the WIC Program - serves to safeguard the health of low-income women, infants, & children up to age 5 who are at nutritional risk by providing nutritious foods to supplement diets, information on healthy eating, and referrals to health care.

What is WIC?

• WIC is a nutrition program that helps pregnant women, new mothers and young children eat well, learn about nutrition and stay healthy.
• WIC provides nutrition education and nutritious foods to low-income women, infants and children.

Waste, abuse and fraud in the WIC program may take different forms. Depending on the specific referral, it may be investigated by one or more sections of the Office of Inspector General. Examples of the different types of waste, abuse and fraud in WIC include:

Audit Section

Contractors or their employees should be referred to the Sub-recipient Financial Review Unit- WIC when suspected of waste, abuse and fraud activities including but not limited to claims for:

• Unallowable expenditures
• Expenditures not made
• Services not provided; and/or
• Services provided to ineligible clients, including
  • Questionable preparation of cost reports
  • Processing food instruments (vouchers) without providing services; and/or
  • Inappropriate issuance of formula or breast pumps.

WIC Compliance

WIC participants or employees of WIC contracted grocers/vendors should be referred to the WIC Compliance Auditors section when there is a suspicion of waste, abuse or fraud activities including but not limited to:

• Not allowing participant to purchase national brands of authorized WIC food items, (selling only the store brands of foods)
• Requesting money from participant if food item dollar amount is more than the food instrument (voucher) or instructing participant to take fewer items
• Accepting money in exchange for food instruments (vouchers); and/or
• Altering food prices on food instruments (vouchers).

Need to reach the WIC investigation office directly? Please call our toll-free hotline, 800-436-6184. You may also reach WIC investigations by fax, 512-833-6520.