GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- Air Force Office of Special Investigations needs your help in identifying and reporting fraudulent activities. Besides our general crimes, counterintelligence, and research and technology protection missions, a significant amount of AFOSI's resources are assigned to fraud investigations.

In the past few years, AFOSI has recovered well over a billion dollars that was defrauded from the United States Air Force worldwide. This accomplishment is pretty amazing, considering only 10 percent of fraudulent activity is reported or discovered. Imagine how much money we could be recovering or saving if more people were educated on what to look for. So, don't let anyone walk away with OUR money!

We've all heard the words fraud, waste and abuse but would you really know what it is if you see it, and if so, do you know who to report it to? What is Fraud? Fraud is defined as the crime of obtaining money or some other benefit by deliberate deception. Simply put, fraud is theft! Unfortunately, it's not always going to be that simple or obvious. Fraud comes in many forms and can often times be tricky to find. Bribery, identity theft, money laundering, embezzlement and submitting false documentation, are a few examples. These types of things can get complicated, and often times, are covered up very well. Only those who are most familiar with the system can find ways to steal money or other products without setting off any alarms. So to help you become more aware of what to look for, the following are some indicators of fraudulent activities:

- Concentration of authority or responsibility of one particular person for an entire process (i.e. the Government Purchase Card holder is also the approval and billing official)
- Inadequate feedback on results of operations
- Lack of independent verification of the accuracy of records, transactions and reports
- Vague and confusing procedures and standards
- Inability to identify responsibility
- Lack of adequate supervision or oversight
- Unrealistic budgetary or acquisition requirements
- Inadequate physical safeguards over resources
- Failure to strictly enforce contract provisions and failure to correct deficiencies identified by existing systems.

Great, now you know how to detect fraudulent activities. Now what? Well, that is the easy part. Contact AFOSI Detachment 320 at DSN 362-3852, or com: (701) 747-3852 and tell us what you know. You can also visit our office at Bldg 534 Steen Ave. (beside the Fire Department) on Grand Forks AFB. Want to remain anonymous or don't feel like talking? Just shoot an e-mail to michael.clark@ogn.af.mil.