Fighting stimulus bill fraud will take a village, apparently

As hundreds of billions of dollars head out of Washington in an effort to stimulate the sagging economy, many are concerned about where and how the money will be spent.

The Government Accounting Office is required to review the spending bimonthly, and today, the investigative arm of Congress asked the public for help fulfilling that role.

From the GAO's press release:

“Congress and the President have insisted on accountability and transparency over Recovery Act funds, and we at GAO are taking steps to help ensure that accountability. The public can help to identify improper activities or weaknesses in programs that warrant scrutiny. FraudNET can play an important role in alerting GAO, potentially early on, to questionable uses of Recovery Act funds,” said Gene L. Dodaro, Acting Comptroller General of the United States and head of the GAO

“The Recovery Act has set aside billions of dollars to create jobs, invest in infrastructure, and fund other measures to counter the current economic downturn. Experience tells us that the risk of fraud and abuse grows when large sums are spent quickly, eligibility requirements are being established or changed, and new programs created.” Dodaro added.

Begun in 1979 as a toll-free phone number, FraudNet has expanded in recent years to receive allegations via the internet, fax, or letter. The public can call 1-800-424-5454 (an automated answering system); send an e-mail to fraudnet@gao.gov; send a fax to (202) 512-3086; or write to: GAO FraudNet 441 G Street, NW, Mail Stop 4T21, Washington, DC 20548. The public may also visit the FraudNet page of our website at http://www.gao.gov/fraudnet/fraudnet.htm.

President Barack Obama has appointed Vice President Joe Biden to oversee the implementation of the $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and has appointed Earl Devaney, a former Secret Service Agent, to be the Executive Department's watchdog.