If you suspect fraud involving a federal child nutrition program, report the concern to the right agency for the subject and severity: use the responsible state agency for suspected misuse by an individual or household, and contact the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General (USDA OIG) for criminal activity, large-scale misuse, multistate fraud, or suspected misconduct by a state or federal employee. A report is a tip, not proof; the agency—not the reporter—determines whether a violation occurred.
Choose the reporting route
The correct channel depends on who may be involved and what happened. State intake procedures vary, so use USDA’s state selector for the state where the suspected conduct occurred.
| Concern | Where to report |
|---|---|
| An individual or household may be improperly receiving nutrition benefits | The state agency responsible for investigating individuals and households. Find state-specific instructions through USDA’s nutrition-program fraud guidance. |
| A school, child-care provider, summer meal site, food distribution site, or other program operator may be misusing funds | For ordinary program-level concerns, follow the official state reporting route. Contact USDA OIG if the matter appears criminal, involves large-scale fund mismanagement, crosses state lines, or concerns state or federal employee misconduct. |
| Suspected criminal activity, large-scale misuse, multistate fraud, or state or federal employee misconduct | USDA OIG, through its hotline. The OIG accepts complaints online, by phone, and by mail; USDA’s departmental regulation also lists fax. |
| A concern about the quality or condition of USDA Foods | Use the separate USDA Foods complaint process. A product problem alone does not establish fraud; report it as fraud only if there are facts suggesting intentional deception or misuse. |
These routes are not interchangeable. If you are unsure whether an operator-level concern is routine or serious, start with the state route or check the current OIG instructions; avoid sending an ordinary food-quality complaint to a fraud hotline without a factual basis for suspected intentional wrongdoing.
Examples of concerns worth reporting
USDA identifies examples of suspected program misuse by operators that may warrant a factual tip:
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- Claiming reimbursement for meals or snacks that were not actually served.
- Charging participants for meals that program rules require to be free.
- Using program reimbursement for personal expenses or luxury goods.
- Seeking reimbursement for fabricated organizations, sites, or people.
These are indicators to report when grounded in specific information, not proof that a person or organization committed fraud. For suspected wrongdoing by an individual or household receiving benefits, report through the relevant state agency.
What to include in a report
Share what you know, and distinguish firsthand observations from information someone else provided. Useful details include:
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- What you believe happened and how it may have happened.
- Who may be involved, including relevant names, addresses, and work or site locations.
- When and where the conduct occurred, as precisely as you can establish.
- Why the circumstances raised concern and any relevant context.
- Records or leads that could help verify the concern, such as receipts, screenshots, photographs, witness contact information, or the location of additional evidence.
USDA says documentation is useful but not required. Do not put off making a report solely because you do not have records; provide the facts you can and be clear about what you did not personally see.
Anonymous reporting and OIG contact details
USDA’s guidance says a name is not required and reports may be anonymous. That does not guarantee confidentiality in every later investigative circumstance, so do not treat anonymity as a promise about how information may be handled after submission.
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USDA’s nutrition-fraud guidance lists OIG telephone reporting at (202) 690-1622, with 711 for voice and TDD, and written reports to USDA Office of Inspector General, P.O. Box 23399, Washington, DC 20026-3399. USDA Departmental Regulation 1700-002 also lists (800) 424-9121, (202) 690-1202 (TDD), and fax (202) 690-2474. The official pages show differing phone details; check the current OIG hotline page before calling, faxing, or mailing a report. The regulation identifies a separate bribery/assault line; do not use that line for an ordinary fraud complaint.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Keep the report factual
Describe the conduct and supporting circumstances rather than declaring someone guilty. A report starts an agency process; it does not guarantee an investigation, a particular result, recovery of funds, or a response by a particular date. If your concern is discrimination rather than suspected fraud, use USDA’s separate civil-rights complaint process instead of these fraud-reporting channels.
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