How to Report Food Stamp (SNAP) Fraud

To report food stamp fraud by a household, contact the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) agency in the state where the fraud happened. Some reports go to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Office of Inspector General (OIG) instead: criminal activity, multi-state schemes, large-scale mismanagement of funds, and employee misconduct.

You can report to either office without giving your name. USDA OIG takes reports online, by phone at (202) 690-1622, or by mail.

Where to Report SNAP and Welfare Fraud

Where you report SNAP fraud depends on who is committing it. State agencies investigate individuals and households that receive benefits. USDA OIG takes reports that involve criminal activity, large-scale mismanagement of funds, fraud in more than one state, or misconduct by a state or federal employee.

USDA OIG accepts reports through four channels:

• Online: the USDA OIG Hotline form.
• Phone: (202) 690-1622.
• Relay: 711 for voice and TDD (telecommunications device for the deaf) calls.
• Mail: USDA Office of Inspector General, P.O. Box 23399, Washington, D.C. 20026-3399.

USDA OIG does not publish a toll-free number. To report a household's food stamp fraud online, start with the state map on the USDA fraud page. That map points you to the agency for the state where the fraud happened.

What Counts as SNAP Fraud

SNAP fraud means breaking the law or program rules on purpose to get benefits, money or services a person is not entitled to. The USDA groups examples by who commits the fraud.

Fraud by people who receive benefits includes:

• Lying about income, household members or age.
• Selling benefits for cash or non-food items.
• Receiving benefits in multiple states or under multiple names.
• Claiming disaster benefits for a household the disaster did not affect.
• Reselling WIC formula.

Fraud by organizations such as schools, childcare providers and summer meal sites includes:

• Claiming meals that were never served.
• Charging for meals that should be free.
• Claiming funds for fake sites or people who do not exist.
• Misusing reimbursement funds.

Fraud by stores includes:

• Accepting benefits for alcohol or tobacco.
• Giving cash for benefits, which is called trafficking.
• Lying about the products sold to become an authorized store.

A day care billing for meals it never served is childcare fraud tied to meals. Contact USDA OIG about it when you have evidence of criminal activity or large-scale mismanagement of funds. Because a Department of Agriculture program pays for those meals, a tip that leads to criminal charges may also qualify for the DOJ reward program.

What to Include When You Report Food Stamp Fraud

A food stamp fraud report should say what happened, who did it, and where, when and how it happened. Gather these details before you fill out the form or call:

• The people: names of the people you suspect and of household members.
• The places: home addresses, work locations, and where the fraud happens, such as a store.
• The timing: when it happened.
• Your reason: why you believe it is fraud.
• Supporting items: receipts, screenshots, photos, or contact details for witnesses.

You do not need evidence to make a report. Still, USDA OIG warns that without enough information it may be unable to act. Give the most specific details you can, and keep your own notes of what you reported and on what date.

Staying Anonymous When You Report Food Stamp Fraud

USDA OIG gives three reporting choices, and each choice changes what USDA OIG can do with your report.

Pick confidential if you want privacy but expect USDA OIG to have questions. Pick anonymous if keeping your name from everyone matters more than follow-up. Under the Whistleblower Protection Act of 1989 and the Inspector General Act of 1978, USDA OIG protects the identity of people who report.

In the Justice Department's reward program, you can stay anonymous only by submitting through an attorney.

What Happens to the Person Reported

A person found to have broken SNAP rules on purpose can face disqualification, criminal charges, fines or prison. The penalties for a store are different. A retailer can face temporary or permanent disqualification, denial or withdrawal of its authorization, civil money penalties, and criminal prosecution.

The USDA SNAP Fraud Prevention page lists these penalty types. State agencies investigate household cases. USDA OIG handles the criminal, multi-state, large-scale and employee cases described above.

How much you hear back depends on the reporting choice you made. An anonymous report gives USDA OIG no way to reach you, so you will not learn the outcome from USDA OIG. A confidential report lets USDA OIG come back to you with questions.

Rewards for Reporting Benefit Fraud

USDA pages describe no reward for an ordinary report of food stamp fraud. A report about a neighbor's household benefits goes to the state agency and is not a reward claim. A separate Justice Department (DOJ) program can pay for tips that lead to criminal charges.

The program's official DOJ name is the National Fraud Enforcement Division Criminal Tip Rewards Pilot Program. News reports call it the "Fraud Whistleblower Incentive Program." DOJ's National Fraud Enforcement Division runs it for an initial three-year term. It covers fraud on programs run by the Department of Agriculture, such as SNAP. Day care (childcare subsidy) fraud is one of its listed priority areas.

• Amount: $10,000 to $30,000 for each distinct tip, paid at or around the time criminal charges are filed and unsealed.
• Discretion: rewards are not guaranteed, and the decision cannot be appealed or reviewed by a court.
• No minimum loss: a tip about a scheme with little or no loss can still qualify if it leads to charges.
• Who qualifies: an individual who gives original, truthful and complete information in writing, voluntarily, and cooperates with DOJ.
• Who does not: companies, foreign government officials, people who meaningfully took part in the crime, and people who lie to or obstruct DOJ. DOJ and law-enforcement officials, employees and contractors are also excluded, along with their close relatives and household members.

Submit tips through the portal at america.gov/fraud. A name is optional on the portal, but you must include contact information to be eligible for a reward. The Treasury Department reviews each report and sends it to the federal office best placed to act. The portal's list of more than 20 offices includes USDA OIG.

To stay anonymous in the DOJ program, submit through an attorney who certifies your identity. You do not need a lawyer to submit yourself. Before any award is paid, you must disclose your identity to DOJ for verification.

On October 20, 2026, President Trump and Vice President Vance announced the program at an Oval Office event, the Associated Press (AP) reported. AP also reported that President Trump described payouts as a "1% commission" on the fraud a tip uncovers. NBC News reported he said he would be the "arbitrator" of award decisions. DOJ's written guidance sets awards at $10,000 to $30,000 in the Department's sole discretion. That written guidance governs submissions, so watch the DOJ Whistleblower Rewards Program page for updates.

If you face retaliation, include it in your DOJ submission or a follow-up. The DOJ guidance creates no enforceable rights. For a retaliation lawsuit, see workplace retaliation claims. The Fraud Whistleblower Incentive Program guide covers eligibility in more detail.

If you have inside knowledge of a scheme, you can get matched with a whistleblower lawyer.

Other Benefit Programs

To report welfare fraud in TANF or another state-run benefit, contact the state agency that runs that program. This is the same route used for SNAP household fraud.

The DOJ rewards program also covers fraud on programs run by the Department of Labor, such as unemployment, and by Health and Human Services. It also covers Housing and Urban Development, Education (such as student aid), Veterans Affairs, the Department of War, and the Small Business Administration. The fraud can first hit a state, local or tribal program, as long as a federal program bears some of the loss.

Fraud outside these categories should still be reported, according to the DOJ program FAQs. Crimes that are not fraud go to local police or the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Internet Crime Complaint Center.

For other benefits, see how to report Social Security fraud and how to report Medicare and Medicaid fraud. See the whistleblower claims hub.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I report food stamp fraud anonymously?

Yes. You are not required to give your name. USDA OIG lets you report named, confidentially or anonymously. If you report anonymously, USDA OIG cannot ask you questions or tell you what action it took.

Can someone find out who reported them for SNAP fraud?

USDA OIG protects the identity of people who report under the Whistleblower Protection Act of 1989 and the Inspector General Act of 1978. With an anonymous report, not even USDA OIG knows your name. In the DOJ rewards program, DOJ will not publicly disclose information that could reasonably reveal a tipster's identity. DOJ may still have to disclose a tipster's identity to a defendant in a court or administrative proceeding.

What evidence do I need to report food stamp fraud?

You do not need evidence to make a report. Include what happened, who did it, where, when and how, and why you believe it is fraud. Add any receipts, screenshots, photos or witness contacts you have. USDA OIG warns that without enough information it may be unable to act.

What happens when you report someone for food stamp fraud?

State agencies investigate household cases, and USDA OIG handles criminal, multi-state, large-scale and employee cases. A person who broke the rules on purpose can face disqualification, criminal charges, fines or prison. A store can lose its authorization, pay civil money penalties or face prosecution.

Do you get a reward for reporting food stamp fraud?

USDA pages describe no reward for an ordinary report. The DOJ fraud tip rewards program covers SNAP fraud and may pay $10,000 to $30,000 for a tip that leads to unsealed criminal charges. Tips go through america.gov/fraud, and you must include contact information to be eligible.

How do I report a store selling food stamps for cash?

Giving cash for benefits is called trafficking, and you can report it to USDA OIG when you have evidence of criminal activity. Use the online Hotline form, call (202) 690-1622 (or 711 for voice and TDD relay), or mail USDA Office of Inspector General, P.O. Box 23399, Washington, D.C. 20026-3399. Retailers can face disqualification, civil money penalties and criminal prosecution.