Fraud Investigations

Fraud may occur when a participant knowingly and willfully provides false information about his/her circumstances. Fraud also occurs when a participant intentionally fails to report changes in his/her circumstance in a timely manner in order to receive benefits for which he/she is not eligible.

For fraud to occur, the participant must know that the information he/she provides is false and that he/she did so with the intent to gain something of value. A participant providing incorrect information by mistake is not committing fraud. A participant does not commit fraud if he/she is unaware of his/her responsibility to provide certain information.

Fraud investigations may occur in the following areas:

• Food Stamps
• Temporary Aid to Needy Families (TANF)
• Child Support
• Adult Assistance Programs
• Child Care Assistance Programs
• Any other program in which Montrose County Health and Human Services is fiscally responsible

Reporting Fraud Allegations

To report fraud, you may:

• Write an anonymous letter
• Come to the office located at 1845 South Townsend Ave
• Call 970-252-5000

As a backup to the local fraud contact, there is also a Statewide Fraud Hotline number that may be used to refer client fraud, worker fraud, or provider fraud as well. That Hotline is 1-877-934-6361, or 1-877-WFINFO-1.

When reporting fraud, please have as much information as possible. For example, Name(s) of recipients, date of birth, social security number, address, and employer name and address. This information can help to ensure that a thorough investigation is performed.