How to Submit a Fraud Tip for the WHIP Reward: 5 Steps (2026 Guide)

This site does not accept reports. Use the official form below. Never pay anyone to submit a tip for you.

Step 1: Check that the fraud is covered

WHIP pays for tips about federal health care offenses and fraud on programs run by:

Agriculture (SNAP, school meals and child nutrition)
Labor (unemployment insurance)
Health and Human Services (Medicaid, Medicare, child care funds)
Housing and Urban Development
Education (student aid)
Veterans Affairs and the Department of War
The Small Business Administration (PPP, EIDL and other loans)

The DOJ says it will prioritize hospice, home health care, day care and "special services" fraud. Other crimes go elsewhere: see the table at the end.

Step 2: Make sure you are eligible

You must be an individual who voluntarily gives the DOJ "truthful and complete original information in writing" and cooperates afterwards. You are not eligible if any of these apply:

You are reporting for a company or other entity.
You are an official, employee or contractor of the DOJ or any law enforcement organization, or certain relatives or household members of one.
You are an elected or appointed foreign government official.
You meaningfully participated in the fraud.
You make a false statement or obstruct the investigation.
Your information came from attorney-client privileged communications.
You were required to provide it, for example by a subpoena or a plea agreement.

Original means based on your own knowledge or analysis and not already known to law enforcement. Information that appears entirely in a court filing, government audit or news report does not count, unless you were its source.

Step 3: Gather what to include

The DOJ asks for enough detail to identify the specific violation, the people involved and how you know. The form asks for:

What happened and when
Who was involved: names, businesses, addresses
The amount involved, if you know it
Up to five supporting files or photos
Your contact information

Stick to what you saw or can document. Do not trespass, record people illegally or take records you are not allowed to have.

Step 4: Submit at America.gov/fraud

Open America.gov/fraud. Fraud.gov opens the White House Fraud Ledger, which has a "Report fraud" link to the same form.
Describe the concern, then review your answers and attachments.
Submit, and save the reference number and the copy of your report the site offers.

The site says reports are encrypted and go to the Treasury Department, which forwards each one to the right office. The DOJ may deny an award solely because a tip was not sent through this portal.

Step 5: Cooperate and wait for charges

DOJ staff review submissions and may or may not contact you. If your tip leads to criminal charges (an indictment, information or criminal complaint) and those charges are unsealed, an award of $10,000 to $30,000 can be paid "at or around the time charges are filed." The decision is discretionary and cannot be appealed. Before payment you must disclose your identity to the DOJ, which says it will not publicly reveal it except where the law requires.

Other places to report

Type of fraud	Where to report	Reward
Medicare, Medicaid, other HHS programs	HHS-OIG or America.gov/fraud	WHIP; False Claims Act for large cases
Large fraud on any federal program or contract	A qui tam lawsuit through a lawyer	15–30% of recovery
Tax evasion above $2 million	IRS Form 211	15–30%
Securities fraud	SEC	10–30% above $1M
Money laundering, sanctions evasion	FinCEN	10–30% above $1M
Scams against consumers	ReportFraud.ftc.gov	None

Compare all of them in WHIP vs the False Claims Act, or estimate your award with the calculator.

Frequently asked questions

Where do I submit a fraud tip for the WHIP reward?

At America.gov/fraud, the portal the Justice Department names in its FAQ. Fraud.gov opens the White House Fraud Ledger, which links to the same form. The DOJ may deny an award solely because a tip was not submitted through the portal.

Can I report fraud anonymously and still get paid?

Your name is optional on the form, but to be eligible for an award you must include contact information, and you must disclose your identity to the DOJ before any payment. You can stay anonymous to the DOJ during the process only if a lawyer represents you.

How long does it take to get the reward?

Awards are paid at or around the time criminal charges are filed and unsealed. You do not have to wait for a guilty plea, a trial or an appeal, but investigations before charges can take months or years.

Does it cost anything to report fraud?

No. Reporting to the government is free. Be wary of any service that charges a fee to submit a tip or promises a reward.

What if the fraud is not on a federal benefit program?

WHIP covers federal health care and benefit programs. Tax fraud goes to the IRS (Form 211), securities fraud to the SEC, money laundering and sanctions evasion to FinCEN, and consumer scams to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

How to submit a fraud tip and qualify for the reward