Fraud Whistleblower Incentive Program: $10K to $30K Rewards
How the new DOJ fraud tip program works: it can pay $10,000 to $30,000 per tip that leads to criminal charges. What qualifies and how to submit a tip.
The fraud whistleblower incentive program can pay $10,000 to $30,000 for each distinct written tip that leads the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to file and unseal criminal charges. You submit the tip through the portal at america.gov/fraud, and DOJ decides any reward in its sole discretion.
The tip must involve federal health care fraud or fraud on certain federal benefit programs. Fraud.gov now sends visitors to the White House "Fraud Ledger" page, which links to the same portal.
How the DOJ Fraud Tip Rewards Program Works and What It Pays
DOJ may pay $10,000 to $30,000 for each distinct tip whose original information leads to unsealed criminal charges for covered fraud. The money is paid at or around the time charges are filed and unsealed. You do not have to wait for a guilty plea, sentencing or appeals.
- You write up the tip. Submit it in writing through the portal at america.gov/fraud. Include your contact information if you want to be eligible for a reward.
- The tip must cover listed fraud. That means federal health care fraud or fraud on certain federal benefit programs, listed below.
- Charges must follow. Your information must lead DOJ to file and unseal an indictment, information or criminal complaint.
- DOJ sets the amount. Each distinct tip can earn $10,000 to $30,000. DOJ decides whether two tips are distinct or related.
There is no minimum loss. A tip about a scheme that failed, or one that caused little or no loss, can still qualify if it leads to criminal charges.
Rewards are discretionary and not guaranteed. The Justice Department's National Fraud Enforcement Division runs the program under 28 U.S.C. § 530C(b)(1)(L), which lets the Department pay rewards for assistance in its sole discretion. A reward decision cannot be appealed and is not subject to judicial review.
What Was Announced and the Official Rules
President Trump and Vice President Vance announced the program at an Oval Office event on October 20, 2026, according to the Associated Press (AP). News reports call it the "Fraud Whistleblower Incentive Program" and describe it as a $25 million program. DOJ uses different names. Our Trump whistleblower program explainer covers what Trump and Vance said at the announcement.
- Official name: National Fraud Enforcement Division Criminal Tip Rewards Pilot Program, per the DOJ guidance.
- Web page title: Whistleblower Rewards Program.
- Term: an initial three years.
Some reported statements differ from DOJ's written rules. AP reported that President Trump described payouts as a "1% commission" on the fraud a tip uncovers. NBC News reported that he said he would be the "arbitrator" of award decisions.
DOJ's written guidance says awards are $10,000 to $30,000 and are decided in the Department's sole discretion. The written DOJ guidance governs submissions. Before you file, check the DOJ Whistleblower Rewards Program page for updates to the award amounts and rules.
AP also reported that the White House set up a Task Force to Eliminate Fraud in March 2026, led by Vice President Vance. The task force was created by executive order.
What Fraud Qualifies for a Reward
A tip qualifies only if it involves federal health care fraud or fraud on programs run by listed federal departments or the Small Business Administration. The DOJ FAQs list these categories:
- Federal health care offenses and related crimes involving health care benefit programs, or fraud against patients. See how to report Medicare and Medicaid fraud.
- Department of Agriculture programs, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). See how to report food stamp fraud.
- Department of Labor programs, such as unemployment benefits.
- Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) programs.
- Department of Housing and Urban Development programs.
- Department of Education programs, such as student aid.
- Department of Veterans Affairs programs.
- Department of War programs.
- Small Business Administration programs.
DOJ names four priority areas: hospice fraud, home health care fraud, day care fraud involving childcare subsidies, and special services fraud such as autism care. To report childcare fraud, including a childcare subsidy scheme, use the same portal at america.gov/fraud. The fraud can first hit a state, local or tribal program and still count, as long as a federal program ultimately bears some loss.
Report fraud outside these categories anyway. DOJ says such a tip may still help uncover a covered crime, and you may qualify under another whistleblower program. Crimes other than fraud go to local police or the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov.
Tax fraud and securities fraud are not on the covered list. Those tips go to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Whistleblower Office and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Whistleblower Program, which pay their own awards.
Who Can Get a Reward and Who Cannot
A reward goes only to an individual who voluntarily gives original, truthful and complete information in writing and cooperates with DOJ. That information must lead to unsealed charges. Companies cannot receive a reward.
"Original" means the information comes from your own knowledge or analysis and is not already known to DOJ. Repeating court filings or news stories does not count. "Voluntary" means you came forward before any government request and had no existing duty to report.
| Situation | Eligible? |
|---|---|
| Individual with first-hand knowledge who writes in before any government request | Can qualify |
| A company | No |
| DOJ or law-enforcement official, employee or contractor, or a close relative or household member of one | No |
| Foreign government official | No |
| Person who directed, planned, initiated or knowingly profited from the crime | No |
| Person who played only a minimal role in the crime | Can qualify under an exception |
| Person with an existing duty to report, such as under a plea agreement | No, because the tip is not voluntary |
| Person repeating facts from court filings or news | No, because the information is not original |
| Compliance officer, internal auditor, company officer or outside investigator | Generally no, with limited exceptions |
| Person who lies to or obstructs DOJ | No |
The compliance-role exceptions include a risk of imminent harm to patients. They also cover a tip sent at least 120 days after you reported the matter internally. DOJ can permanently bar a person after three or more frivolous or fraudulent submissions, and false statements can be prosecuted.
How to Submit a Fraud Tip
Submit your tip in writing through the portal at america.gov/fraud, which DOJ strongly encourages. DOJ may deny an award solely because a tip did not come through the portal. DOJ may consider other channels case by case.
- Write down what you know. Name the person or business, the federal program, what was billed or claimed, the dates, and how you learned it.
- Stick to your own knowledge. Leave out anything you only read in the news or court filings, since that is not original information.
- Pick your proof. The portal accepts up to 5 documents or photos.
- Open the portal. Go to america.gov/fraud. Fraud.gov redirects to the White House "Fraud Ledger" page, which links to the same portal.
- Add contact information. A name is optional on the portal. To be eligible for a reward, you must include contact information.
- Note any retaliation. If your employer has punished you for reporting, say so in the tip.
- Save your record. Keep the reference number and download a copy of the report.
The portal says reports are encrypted. Each report goes to the Treasury Department, which reviews it and sends it to the federal office best placed to act. The portal lists more than 20 offices, including the HHS Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Office of Inspector General, IRS Criminal Investigation, the SEC and DOJ components.
You do not need a lawyer to submit. A lawyer is required only if you want to stay anonymous.
Anonymity, Confidentiality and Retaliation
You can stay anonymous to DOJ only by submitting through an attorney, who certifies your identity. If you submit yourself, you must include information so DOJ can contact you and verify who you are. Before any award is paid, you must disclose your identity to DOJ and it must be verified.
DOJ says it will not publicly disclose information that could reasonably reveal your identity. Exceptions apply when the law or Department policy requires it. DOJ may also have to disclose your identity to a defendant in a court or administrative proceeding, and it may share your information with other law-enforcement agencies.
If you face retaliation, report it in your submission or a follow-up. DOJ may weigh it against the company's cooperation credit and may take enforcement action. The guidance says it creates no enforceable rights, so it does not give you a lawsuit for retaliation.
Other laws give some whistleblowers a retaliation lawsuit. The False Claims Act (FCA) protects private-sector employees, contractors and agents who face retaliation for reporting federal-program fraud or trying to stop it (31 U.S.C. § 3730(h)). Covered retaliation includes being fired, demoted, suspended, threatened or harassed.
FCA remedies include reinstatement, two times back pay, interest, and special damages such as litigation costs and attorneys' fees. The suit must be filed within 3 years of the retaliation. Federal employees who disclose fraud are protected by the Whistleblower Protection Act of 1989, as the USDA Office of Inspector General notes. Read more about workplace retaliation claims and wrongful termination.
If you want an attorney to submit for you or to review a retaliation claim, you can get matched with a whistleblower or qui tam lawyer.
How the Fraud Whistleblower Incentive Program Compares with Other Programs
The DOJ tip program can pay a fixed amount at the charging stage, while the other federal programs pay a percentage of money recovered.
| Feature | DOJ Tip Rewards Program | False Claims Act Qui Tam | SEC Whistleblower Program | IRS Whistleblower Office |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Who runs it | DOJ National Fraud Enforcement Division | A private relator files in federal court, and the government intervenes or declines | Securities and Exchange Commission | Internal Revenue Service |
| What it covers | Listed health care and benefit-program fraud | False claims for federal money, except tax claims | Securities fraud | Tax underpayment and evasion |
| What it pays | $10,000 to $30,000 per distinct tip | 15% to 25% if the government intervenes, or 25% to 30% if it declines | 10% to 30% of sanctions when the SEC collects more than $1 million | 15% to 30% of collected proceeds when over $2 million is in dispute |
| When it pays | At or around the time charges are filed and unsealed | From the recovery | From collected sanctions | From collected proceeds |
| How you file | Online portal, with a lawyer needed only for anonymity | Sealed complaint in federal court, which in practice means hiring a lawyer | Form TCR | Form 211 |
DOJ's guidance says a tip reward does not stop you from receiving later whistleblower payments under other government programs. Its example is DOJ's Corporate Whistleblower Awards Pilot Program. A qui tam relator also recovers reasonable expenses, attorneys' fees and costs from the defendant.
Pick the DOJ tip program if you want a possible fixed payment at the charging stage without a lawyer. Look at a qui tam case if the fraud involves false claims for federal money and you want a share of the recovery. A qui tam case must be filed within 6 years of the violation or within 3 years after the responsible U.S. official knew or should have known the facts, whichever is later. It can never be filed more than 10 years after the violation.
The first-to-file rule bars a later related qui tam case on the same facts. See the False Claims Act guide and whistleblower settlements and awards. SEC and IRS whistleblower awards are taxable income. Being a whistleblower carries risk, and no program promises an award. The whistleblower hub covers each type of report.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does the fraud whistleblower program pay?
DOJ's written guidance sets the reward at $10,000 to $30,000 for each distinct tip that leads to unsealed criminal charges. DOJ decides whether tips are distinct or related. Rewards are discretionary and not guaranteed, and the decision cannot be appealed.
Where do I submit a fraud tip?
Submit it through the portal at america.gov/fraud, which DOJ strongly encourages. DOJ may deny an award solely because a tip did not come through the portal. Fraud.gov redirects to the White House "Fraud Ledger" page, which links to the same portal.
Can I report fraud anonymously and still get a reward?
You can submit anonymously only through an attorney, who certifies to DOJ that your identity has been verified. You cannot stay anonymous and be paid: before any award is paid, you must disclose your identity to DOJ and have it verified. If you submit yourself, you must include contact information to be eligible.
What kinds of fraud qualify for a reward?
Federal health care fraud qualifies, along with fraud on programs run by Agriculture, Labor, HHS, Housing and Urban Development, Education, Veterans Affairs, War and the Small Business Administration. DOJ's priority areas are hospice, home health care, day care subsidy and special services fraud such as autism care. The fraud may first hit a state, local or tribal program if a federal program ultimately bears some loss.
When is the reward paid?
DOJ pays at or around the time criminal charges are filed and unsealed. You do not have to wait for a guilty plea, sentencing or appeals. Charges mean an indictment, information or criminal complaint.
Can I get this reward and a False Claims Act award?
DOJ's guidance says a tip reward does not stop you from receiving later whistleblower payments under other government programs. Its named example is DOJ's Corporate Whistleblower Awards Pilot Program, and the guidance does not name the False Claims Act. Ask a qui tam lawyer how the two would apply to your facts.
What happens after you file a whistleblower tip?
You receive a reference number and can download a copy of your report. The Treasury Department reviews the report and sends it to the federal office best placed to act. A reward is possible only if your information leads to unsealed criminal charges.
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