Families
Report Fraud
How to Report Fraud
Fraud is an intentional deception, omission, or misrepresentation made by a person with knowledge that the deception, omission, or misrepresentation may result in unauthorized benefit to that person or another person, or any aiding and abetting of the commission of such an act.
Common Types of Fraud
Child Care Providers
- Signing a child in when the child is absent in order to be paid for that day
- Asking a parent to sign a child in/out when they have not attended
- Giving false information to receive payment or stay contracted for SR or VPK
- Telling a parent not to report changes to the coalition
Parent/Client
- Failing to accurately report someone in the household such as a “spouse” or “significant other” even if the “significant other” is not the biological parent
- Providing false/altered employment verification or education documents
- Failing to report additional employment income (being employed at two or more jobs)
- Providing a false/altered at-risk referral
The Early Learning Coalition of Hillsborough County are good stewards of Federal, State and local match dollars. Reporting of fraud is critical in ensuring that families in Hillsborough County receive the child care assistance they so desperately need. Consequences of Public Assistance Fraud requires one to be arrested and possible jail time. Additionally, clients are not eligible to receive School Readiness funding or go on the waiting list until restitution is paid in full. If you are a child care provider charged with Public Assistance Fraud, restitution is ordered, and you may be ineligible to contract with the ELCHC for a period of five years. Beginning on page 5 of the Anti-Fraud Plan Fiscal Year 2022-2023, posted below, one can find Provider Due Process and Right to Challenge (or appeal) instructions and information.
If you suspect a client or provider is receiving School Readiness funding fraudulently, please send an email to fraud@elchc.org for further investigation.
