No industry, company, or agency is immune from ongoing acts of stealing by aggressive financial thieves. To help safeguard against theft, CalVCP exercises appropriate controls and methods to prevent and uncover fraud, beginning with our Help Center.
Recently, two California residents were convicted of defrauding CalVCP when they submitted phony invoices for the care of a victim. The two women were sentenced to county jail and probation and ordered to repay CalVCP nearly $70,000--the full amount they fraudulently acquired. Due to the diligent work of the Audits and Investigation Unit and the CalVCP Help Center, the money will be returned to the Restitution Fund so actual victims and care-takers can receive the financial assistance they need.
Media is shedding increasing light on many types of fraudulent activities nationwide. No industry, company, or agency is immune from ongoing acts of stealing by aggressive financial thieves. To help safeguard against theft, CalVCP exercises appropriate controls and methods to prevent and uncover fraud, beginning with our Help Center. The unit answers approximately 7,000 calls each month and is careful to stay alert of suspicious activities and patterns. Questionable claims undergo an initial investigation and are referred to the Audits and Investigations Unit for further examination.
A painstaking review is conducted to verify the accuracy of the claim and documents submitted, and to investigate inconsistencies or suspicious activity. The scrupulous review can take anywhere between four to five months in which the appropriate cases are then referred to local authorities or the California Office of the Attorney General for prosecution. It is through the court that defendants are ordered to repay CalVCP, making funds available to victims.
In addition to the current internal controls and prevention methods in place, a portion of investigated claims begins from an anonymous tip. The public can play an important role in reducing misuse of the Restitution Fund by contacting CalVCP. If you are suspicious or aware of fraudulent activity, please contact our Victim Helpline at 1-800-777-9229. All anonymous tipsters’ identities will remain strictly confidential.
