FraudCast
Welcome to the Pondera FraudCast, where we post information on fraud trends, lessons learned from client engagements, and observations from our investigators in the field. We hope you’ll check back often to stay current with our efforts to combat fraud, waste, and abuse in large government programs.
Analytics are more than Numbers and Stats – It’s About People by Tammy Marple, VP – Special Investigations Unit
August 7, 2018During my time as a fraud analyst, I realized that my work was so much more than just numbers and statistics. I worked in State Government for many years and a few years ago, my manager asked me to conduct a study on Opioids. I lived that assignment for 18 months. After the Opioid study […]
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Cigarette Fraud
May 14, 2018Last week we wrote about charges being brought against a group of alleged fraudsters in California that were trucking thousands of cans and bottles into California to collect the state’s recycling refunds. This week, just so no one feels left out, we’re bringing you a story from the East Coast that deals with cigarette fraud. […]
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How to Steal $80 million Five Cents at a Time
May 10, 2018Last week, in the realm of “are there any government programs fraudsters won’t steal from”, California officials announced charges against five people who were ripping off the state’s recycling program. Four defendants are accused of accepting recyclable cans from other states, faking the paperwork, and then billing the state for refunds on the 5- or […]
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How Fraudsters Stole Money from Venmo Users
April 10, 2018In yet another example of the creativity of fraudsters exploiting security flaws in commonly used services, the Federal Trade Commission recently announced a settlement with Venmo, the popular money exchange service. The charges, filed in 2016, include some surprisingly basic security flaws in Venmo, which boasts of “bank-grade security”. One major problem was found in […]
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City of Atlanta Victimized by Ransomware
April 4, 2018Imagine walking in to work and being handed a printed out note instructing you to not turn on your computer because of a ransomware attack. Then imagine that you are instructed to monitor your personal bank accounts because your employer is unsure exactly what information has been compromised. For city employees in Atlanta, they don’t […]
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Ambulette Fraud
March 28, 2018“Ambulette” is a term to describe the vans and cars that transport Medicaid patients to non-emergency appointments. Despite the presence of ambulettes, millions of Americans continue to miss medical appointments each year because of transportation problems. One possible answer to this problem? Rideshare companies like Uber and Lyft who sign agreements with hospitals and medical […]
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An “Amazing” Contributor to the Nation’s Opioid Crisis
February 26, 2018The Sacramento Bee, my local newspaper, reported this week on an area doctor, a seemingly successful cardiologist and graduate of Northwestern’s medical school, who plead guilty and was sentenced to 52 months for illegally prescribing opioids. After reading about Doctor Capos’s crimes, 52 months seems grossly inadequate. The sentencing judge agreed, despite acknowledging the doctor’s […]
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A New Way to Rip Off the Taxpayer
February 23, 2018I often mention how “impressed” I am by the ingenuity of fraudsters and their ability to find new and creative ways to steal money. And now, with the country starting to pay attention to the opioid crisis, comes word of one of these fraud innovations. This time, fraud (and to be fair, often just massive […]
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Jackpotting Comes to the U.S.
We’ve written several times about skimmers, devices that thieves place into gas pumps, ATMs, and other machines to steal personal and financial information from unsuspecting patrons. Now, it seems that a form of skimming, called “jackpotting” is making its way from Europe and Asia to the states. The aptly named jackpotting, like skimming, uses a […]
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How Startups Benefit Government
January 31, 2018What a delight it was to read a commentary in Government Technology magazine by Rebecca Woodbury, a Senior Management Analyst with the city of San Rafael, California. In the article, Rebecca recounts her experiences working with technology startups and the benefits to the city of moving beyond a small set of traditional providers. Rebecca argues […]
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