The Office of the Inspector General was created in 1978 to help curb and hold parties accountable for waste and fraud in the US Government (particularly in the executive branch) and its programs. The SSA added a branch of the Office of the Inspector General in 1995, as a result of changes in the laws regarding accountability in Social Security Disability programs.
The Office of the Inspector General has five offices which deal with Social Security Disability issues. In addition to the Office of Investigations, which investigates Social Security Disability fraud, the Office of the Inspector General includes the Office of Counsel, the Office of Audit, the Office of Technology and Resource Management, and the Office of External Relations.
The Office of the Inspector General maintains a hotline and internet resources which can be used to report fraud or waste within the Social Security Disability system. They can also be reached via fax and US Mail. If you report Social Security Disability fraud or waste, the Office of the Inspector General will grant you confidentiality and anonymity.
Besides investigating claims of fraud, the Office of the inspector General is responsible for investigating claims of identity theft. Should you suspect that your identity has been stolen and your identity was used to obtain Social Security Disability benefits, contact the Office of the Inspector General immediately.
Since the Office of the Inspector General reports both to Congress and to the Social Security Administration regarding waste and fraud within the Social Security Disability system, it has been set up such that it can operate with some degree of independence. In addition to their duties ferreting out fraud, the Office of the Inspector General helps promote cost effective, efficient operations within the Social Security Disability system.
