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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

Former University Financial Advisor Facing Federal Charges for Wire Fraud

Former University Financial Advisor Facing Federal Charges for Wire Fraud
Article Type
Investigative Press Release
Publish Date

Former University Financial Advisor Facing Federal Charges for Wire Fraud Greenbelt, Maryland – A criminal complaint has been filed charging Randolph Stanley, age 42, of Clinton, Maryland, for the federal charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, in connection with a scheme to fraudulently obtain,,,

Federal Student Aid’s Processes for Reallocating Unexpended Campus-based Title IV Funds in Accordance with the Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria Education Relief Act of 2017

2021
A05U0001
Audit
Department of Education OIG
Department of Education

The objective of our audit was to determine whether Federal Student Aid (FSA) designed and implemented processes that provided reasonable assurance that it reallocated unexpended award year 2016–2017 campus-based student financial assistance program funds in accordance with the Hurricanes Harvey...

Construction Company President Charged With Defrauding The State Department In Multimillion-Dollar Fraud Schemes

Construction Company President Charged With Defrauding The State Department In Multimillion-Dollar Fraud Schemes
Article Type
Investigative Press Release
Publish Date

Construction Company President Charged With Defrauding The State Department In Multimillion-Dollar Fraud Schemes Audrey Strauss, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Michael Speckhardt, the Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of State, Office of Inspector,,,

California Executive Sentenced in College Admissions Case

California Executive Sentenced in College Admissions Case
Article Type
Investigative Press Release
Publish Date

California Executive Sentenced in College Admissions Case BOSTON – A California insurance and private equity executive was sentenced today in connection with using fraud and bribery to cheat on the ACT exam on behalf of his daughter. Mark Hauser, 60, of Los Angeles, Calif., was sentenced by U.S,,,

Arkansas Woman Pleads Guilty to Unemployment Benefits Fraud

Arkansas Woman Pleads Guilty to Unemployment Benefits Fraud
Article Type
Investigative Press Release
Publish Date

Arkansas Woman Pleads Guilty to Unemployment Benefits Fraud SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Deborah Shannell Hollimon, 44, of West Memphis, Arkansas, pleaded guilty today to committing mail fraud in connection with California state unemployment insurance benefits, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert,,,

Federal Student Aid Controls Over the School Verification Process

2021
I06S0001
Inspection / Evaluation
Department of Education OIG
Department of Education

The objective of our inspection was to describe Federal Student Aid’s (FSA) control activities over institutional processes for completing verification and reporting verification results in accordance with Federal requirements.We found that FSA implemented control activities over institutional...

Risk of Closed Institutions of Higher Education Receiving Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund Grants

2021
I21SIU00841
Investigation
Department of Education OIG
Department of Education
Pandemic

The purpose of this report is to share with the U.S. Department of Education (Department) observations made by the Office of Inspector General (OIG) concerning institutions of higher education (IHE) that ceased to provide educational instruction in all programs of study (closed) and received or had...

U.S. Department of Education’s Compliance with Improper Payment Reporting Requirements for FY 2020

2021
A21GA0014
Audit
Department of Education OIG
Department of Education

The objectives of our audit were to: 1. Review the payment integrity section of the fiscal year (FY) 2020 Agency Financial Report (AFR) to determine whether the U.S. Department of Education (Department) is in compliance with the Payment Integrity Information Act of 2019 (PIIA). 2. Evaluate the...

Denton County Woman Sentenced for Student Loan Fraud

Denton County Woman Sentenced for Student Loan Fraud
Article Type
Investigative Press Release
Publish Date

Denton County Woman Sentenced for Student Loan Fraud PLANO, Texas – A Denton, Texas, woman has been sentenced for student loan fraud in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei today. Tiffany O’Neal, 47, pleaded guilty on Nov. 19, 2020, to student loan fraud,,,

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