Employee Fraud Hotline
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is Fraud, Waste, and Abuse for these Hotline purposes?
Fraud involves obtaining something of value through willful misrepresentation. Whether an act is, in fact, fraud is determined through the judicial or other adjudicative system.
Waste is the act of using or expending resources carelessly, extravagantly, or to no purpose. Waste relates primarily to mismanagement, inappropriate actions, and inadequate oversight.
Abuse is behavior that is deficient or improper when compared with behavior that a prudent person would consider reasonable and necessary business practice given the facts and circumstances. Abuse includes misuse of authority or position for personal financial interests or those of an immediate or close family member or business associate.
What if my complaint doesn’t fit into the definitions of fraud, waste, or abuse noted above?
We will try to redirect you to another hotline or agency designed to address your specific complaint.
Where do I report welfare fraud?
Call the District Attorney’s Government Fraud Unit (805) 477-1605.
I am the victim of an actual or attempted scam. Who do I call?
Call the District Attorney’s Consumer Fraud Unit (805) 662-1750.
Someone stole my identity! Who do I call?
Call the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at (877) 438-4338 or visit www.identitytheft.gov.
I’m a County employee, and I’m being bullied by my supervisor or a coworker. Who can I call?
Call the Employee Misconduct Hotline (800) 684-6523.
My complaint is about some part of the County’s Health Care Agency (HCA). Is there a special number to call?
Yes, call the HCA Compliance Hotline (888) 488-3146.
If I don’t want to call some other hotline, can I still lodge my complaint with you?
Yes, we will then relay the information to the appropriate agency.
How can I find out what happened to my complaint?
You may call the Employee Fraud Hotline back at (805) 644-6019 with the Hotline Issue Number you were provided. Please keep in mind that we are restricted as to how much information we can disclose.
How can I find out, in general, what type of complaints were substantiated?
Our semiannual Employee Fraud Hotline Reports on our website https://ventura.org/auditor-controllers-office/hotline-reports/ include a brief description of substantiated complaints and the corrective action taken.
