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Abbreviation
ED
Agencies
Department of Education
Federal Agency
Yes
Location

United States

What to Report to the OIG Hotline
Violations of Federal laws, rules, and regulations pertaining to U.S. Department of Education programs and funding, including complaints involving U.S. Department of Education employees, recipients of Department of Education funds, schools, school officials, other educational institutions, contractors, lending institutions, collections agencies, or public officials. This includes, but not limited to: • Embezzlement, bribery, or other public corruption involving U.S. Department of Education funds • Serious mismanagement involving U.S. Department of Education programs or funds • Theft or misuse of Federal student aid • Knowledge of fraud, waste, or abuse involving a financial aid administrator or other school official(s) • Knowledge of fraud, waste, or abuse involving a student loan servicer or collection agency • Knowledge that your school is not complying with regulations or laws involving Federal student aid or other U.S. Department of Education program or operation • Whistleblower reprisal (if you are a U.S. Department of Education employee, also report reprisal to the Office of Special Counsel) • Conflicts of interest • Contract and procurement irregularities • Theft or abuse of government property • U.S. Department of Education employee misconduct • Ethics violations by U.S. Department of Education officials • Unauthorized access to U.S. Department of Education Information Technology systems or Information Technology systems that involves administration or disbursement of U.S. Department of Education funds.
What Not to Report to the OIG Hotline
If your complaint or allegation does not involve fraud, waste, theft, mismanagement, public corruption, or abuse involving U.S. Department of Education programs or funds, you may need to contact another U.S. Department of Education office or Federal or State agency for assistance. If your complaint or allegation falls under one of the categories below, please contact the agency or organization listed for assistance. If you have been unable to solve a problem that is not a result of theft or fraud involving your Federal student loan: • Please contact the FSA Ombudsman’s Office at 1-877-557-2575 (TDD - 1-800-848-0983) or https://studentaid.ed.gov/repay-loans/disputes/prepare/contact-ombudsman. The FSA Ombudsman’s Office is a neutral, informal, and confidential resource to help resolve disputes about your Federal student loans. If you have an issue with your private student loan, or another private financial product or service: • Please contact the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau at 1-800-411-2372 or http://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/#student-loan. You can submit a complaint about private student loans, which are often issued by a bank, a credit union, your school, or another lending institution. If you believe an improper accounting error occurred on your student loan involving a collection agency or loan service center, or if you disagree with your loan servicer about the balance or status of your student loan: • Please contact the FSA Ombudsman’s Office at 1-877-557-2575 (TDD - 1-800-848-0983) or https://studentaid.ed.gov/repay-loans/disputes/prepare/contact-ombudsman If you require technical assistance regarding your student loan, mediation between your loan servicing center, or problems receiving student loan documents from your loan servicer, disability forms, or loan cancellation: • Please contact the FSA Ombudsman’s Office at 1-877-557-2575 (TDD - 1-800-848-0983) or https://studentaid.ed.gov/repay-loans/disputes/prepare/contact-ombudsman If the Internal Revenue Service has or will offset income tax returns, or if you believe that there has been an improper garnishment of your wages for the repayment of student loans: • Please contact the Office of Debt Collection Services at 1-800-621-3115 (or 1-202-377-3373 or 1-202-377-3374), or find more on what you can do if you defaulted on your student loan repayment here: https://myeddebt.ed.gov/borrower/contactusSubLinks If your school closed or your loan was cancelled as a result of a school closure: • Please contact the FSA Ombudsman’s Office at 1-877-557-2575 (TDD-1-800-8480983) or https://studentaid.ed.gov/repay-loans/disputes/prepare/contact-ombudsman If you have questions concerning the quality of education you received while attending a college, university, or trade school: • Please contact your local Better Business Bureau, the school’s accrediting agency, the State licensing agency, or the State Board of Higher Education. If your complaint involves a Head Start Program: • Please contact the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) OIG at 1-800-424-9121 or https://oig.hhs.gov/ If your complaint involves a school lunch program: • Please contact the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) OIG at http://www.usda.gov/oig/ If your complaint involves discrimination on the basis of race, gender, ethnicity, religion, or sexual preference: • Please contact the U.S. Department of Education Office of Civil Rights – 1-800-421-3481 or http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/complaintprocess.html If you are a U.S. Department of Education employee and your complaint involves discrimination on the basis of race, gender, ethnicity, religion or sexual preference: • Please contact the U.S. Department of Education Equal Employment Opportunity Service Office - 1-800-872-5327 or https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/om/fs_po/om/eeo.html If your complaint involves a scholarship scam—someone calling to offer you a scholarship and requesting your bank or credit card account number for a processing fee—do not share any information and immediately • Contact the Federal Trade Commission - 1-877-FTC-HELP or http://www.ftc.gov/scholarshipscams

Fiscal Year 2020 Risk Assessment of the Department's Purchase Card Program

2021
S21DC0020
Other
Department of Education OIG
Department of Education

Our objective was to analyze the risk of illegal, improper, and erroneous purchases and payments made through the Department’s purchase card program.We assessed the risk of illegal, improper, and erroneous purchases made through the Department’s purchase card program as moderate-high and determined...

Lincoln College of Technology’s Use of Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund Student Aid and Institutional Grants

2021
A20CA0016
Audit
Department of Education OIG
Department of Education
Pandemic

The objective of our audit was to determine whether Lincoln College of Technology (Lincoln) used the Student Aid (Assistance Listing Number (ALN) 84.425E) and Institutional (ALN 84.425F) portions of its Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) funds for allowable and intended purposes. We also...

Three California Residents Charged With Conspiring To Defraud Unemployment Insurance Program

Three California Residents Charged With Conspiring To Defraud Unemployment Insurance Program
Article Type
Investigative Press Release
Publish Date

Three California Residents Charged With Conspiring To Defraud Unemployment Insurance Program SAN FRANCISCO – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California filed a criminal complaint against Ratha Yin, Amanda Yin, and Steven Mavromatis charging the defendants with,,,

Former Georgetown Head Tennis Coach Agrees to Plead Guilty in College Admissions Case

Former Georgetown Head Tennis Coach Agrees to Plead Guilty in College Admissions Case
Article Type
Investigative Press Release
Publish Date

Former Georgetown Head Tennis Coach Agrees to Plead Guilty in College Admissions Case BOSTON – The former head coach of men and women’s tennis at Georgetown University has agreed to plead guilty in connection with soliciting and accepting bribes to facilitate the admission of prospective Georgetown,,,

Swampscott Financial Advisor Sentenced for Stealing Former Client's Retirement Assets

Swampscott Financial Advisor Sentenced for Stealing Former Client's Retirement Assets
Article Type
Investigative Press Release
Publish Date

Swampscott Financial Advisor Sentenced for Stealing Former Client's Retirement Assets BOSTON – A Swampscott financial advisor was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for defrauding an elderly victim and her bank by stealing the victim’s retirement assets. Felix Gorovodsky, 29, was sentenced,,,

One-Time EDD Employee Agrees to Plead Guilty for Fraudulently Obtaining More Than $1.6 Million in COVID-Related Jobless Benefits

One-Time EDD Employee Agrees to Plead Guilty for Fraudulently Obtaining More Than $1.6 Million in COVID-Related Jobless Benefits
Article Type
Investigative Press Release
Publish Date

One-Time EDD Employee Agrees to Plead Guilty for Fraudulently Obtaining More Than $1.6 Million in COVID-Related Jobless Benefits LOS ANGELES – A former California Employment Development Department (EDD) employee has agreed to plead guilty to a federal criminal charge for causing nearly 200,,,

The Department’s Oversight of the Student Support and Academic Enrichment Program

2021
A19DC0004
Audit
Department of Education OIG
Department of Education

The objective of our audit was to determine whether the Department of Education (Department) is providing adequate oversight of grantee performance and funds awarded under the Student Support and Academic Enrichment (SSAE) program and is ensuring that State educational agencies (SEA) are meeting...

Inconsistent Grantee and Subgrantee Reporting of Education Stabilization Fund Subprograms in the Federal Audit Clearinghouse

2021
F21NF0037
Other
Department of Education OIG
Department of Education
Pandemic

The purpose of this flash report is to share with the U.S. Department of Education (Department) observations made by the Office of Inspector General (OIG) concerning grantees and subgrantees inconsistently reporting audit data on Department subprograms, or unique components of a program, to the...

Federal Student Aid's FY 2020-2024 Strategic Planning Process

2021
A20GA0002
Audit
Department of Education OIG
Department of Education

The objective of our audit was to determine the extent to which the U.S. Department of Education had processes for ensuring that Federal Student Aid’s (FSA) fiscal year (FY) 2020–2024 strategic goals, objectives, and related performance indicators were effective. FSA did not have documented...

Parent in College Admissions Case Pleads Guilty

Parent in College Admissions Case Pleads Guilty
Article Type
Investigative Press Release
Publish Date

Parent in College Admissions Case Pleads Guilty BOSTON – The former chief executive of a California-based media company pleaded guilty in connection with her involvement in the college admissions case. Elisabeth Kimmel, 57, of La Jolla, Calif., pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit,,,

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