As government organizations and government-contract jobs use more computer systems for their work, they expose themselves to higher risks of computer systems’ fraud.

Computer systems’ fraud can occur in the input, processing, or output function. In the input function, an employee entering master file information or updating data can enter false data. In the processing function, an employee with technical expertise could alter system software or delete important files. And in the output function, an employee could alter information in computer-generated reports.

If you suspect computer system fraud in your government organization, contact the Qui Tam attorneys of Tycko & Zavareei, LLP, at 202-973-0900.

Like many businesses, government organizations are vulnerable to fraud. The fraud is often the result of government employees who have a financial need and see an opportunity for fraud.

To prevent fraud, government organizations implement a number of control activities. These activities often include segregating the duties of various accounting and business processes. Such segregation often separates the authorization, custody, and recording processes.

If you suspect fraud in a government organization, contact the Qui Tam attorneys of Tycko & Zavareei, LLP, at 202-973-0900.

Ghost employee fraud is a fraudulent activity in which an employee adds fake employees to payroll and directs payroll disbursements to their bank account. This can occur in government contracts or jobs when government employees direct payroll to government employees who actually are not working on that job.

Organizations put many controls in place to prevent employee fraud. However, one of the best ways to detect employee fraud is to see if multiple payroll deposits are made to the same bank account.

If you are working for a government organization and suspect ghost employee fraud, contact the Qui Tam attorneys of Tycko & Zavareei, LLP, at 202-973-0900.

When individuals file a qui tam lawsuit, it is put “under seal.” Under this protection, the lawsuit will not be available to anyone, except for the government agency investigating the claim.

This protection will typically last for at least 60 days. The purpose of this protection is to make employees and other individuals feel comfortable coming forward with whistleblower allegations.

If you or anyone you know has considered bringing a whistleblower allegation against an employer, contact the Qui Tam attorneys of Tycko & Zavareei, LLP, at 202-973-0900.

The Federal government instituted the Cash for Clunkers program last summer to boost consumer demand. The boost came from a credit for car owners who turned in their old cars, or clunkers, and purchased more fuel efficient vehicles.

Cars and trucks that qualified for this program had to meet a number of provisions. However, some car owners with vehicles that did not meet the provisions were still able to receive the credit. In some cases, this was an example of fraud.

If you suspect that a car dealership is guilty of Cash for Clunkers fraud, contact the Qui Tam attorneys of Tycko & Zavareei, LLP, at 202-973-0900.

The False Claims Act is a federal law that typically covers acts of federal government fraud. However, many states have passed similar provisions to protect individuals who report state government fraud.

For instance, if a state government contractor illegally misuses state funds, then that state official has committed an act of fraud. When an individual discovers this fraud, this individual should feel free to report the fraud because of state provisions that afford similar protections as the False Claims Act.

If you or anyone you know suspects a state government fraud, contact the Qui Tam attorneys of Tycko & Zavareei, LLP, at 202-973-0900.

Skimming occurs in companies when employees steal credit card information from legitimate transactions. This credit card information then can be used by the thief to make false purchases.

The information is often stolen by making copies of the receipts or using computer software to steal the information from a database. To protect against skimming, companies often use controls like social security numbers or other sources of identification.

If you suspect that a fellow employee is involved in credit card fraud,  contact the Qui Tam attorneys of Tycko & Zavareei, LLP, at 202-973-0900.

Employees who report company violations are afforded a number of protections. These protections are meant to encourage employees to report any known wrongdoings.

Before whistleblower protections were so strong, many employees feared reporting company or employer violations. They believed that reporting such violations would result in their firing.

Given the protections of the False Claims Act, along with other protections passed by Congress, employees should not fear reporting company violations. If you or anyone you know suspects wrongdoing in your company, contact the Qui Tam lawyers Tycko & Zavareei, LLP, at 202-973-0900.

Many companies employ an internal legal department to handle legal matters. In some cases, these lawyers handle cases in which employees suspect employer wrongdoing.

However, some employees may believe that the internal legal department is part of the wrongdoing. When this occurs, employees are advised to report the fraud to outside counsel. An external, independent lawyer may be better to represent the employee’s best interests and recover some of the case’s reward.

If you suspect that your employer is engaging in fraud, contact the Qui Tam attorneys of Tycko & Zavareei, LLP, at 203-973-0900.