Fraud

What is fraud?

Fraud involves the act of dishonestly obtaining a benefit, or causing a loss, by deception or other means. This means that someone is intentionally trying to get paid for a service or support that they don’t provide to a person with a disability.

It is rare that fraud matters do not also involve issues with the quality and safety of supports and services. If there is fraud taking place, NDIS participants might not be able to access the right amount of supports and services they need, or they might receive a lower quality of service.

Fraud is against the law. If someone commits fraud, they will be investigated and can face criminal charges and/or may be subject to compliance or enforcement action including the imposition of banning orders.

How NDIS providers can manage the risk of fraud

All NDIS providers are vulnerable to the risk of fraud. All NDIS providers have obligations to minimise and manage these risks, or they may be in breach of the NDIS Code of Conduct. NDIS providers should ensure they have resources in place to manage risk. These include:

• policies and processes
• workplace culture
• people strategies.

Our Managing the risk of fraud factsheet is a guide to recognising and managing these risks and the resources that NDIS providers can have in place to help reduce them. 

NDIS providers also have a role in supporting participants affected by fraud. It’s important for NDIS support workers and NDIS providers to know and understand:

• the signs that fraud may be occurring against a NDIS plan
• how to act on these concerns.

Our Guide to working with participants affected by fraud can be used to support NDIS workers and NDIS providers when a participant raises concerns about suspected fraud. 

What is the Fraud Fusion Taskforce?

The Fraud Fusion Taskforce was established in November 2022, and involves a group of experts working together from multiple government organisations. The taskforce works to reduce fraud against the Australian Government’s payment programs.

These agencies include:

• the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission
• the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA)
• Services Australia
• Australian Federal Police
• Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission.  

The Fraud Fusion Taskforce members share information and work together to uncover, investigate and prevent fraud, so that the NDIS and other programs can provide necessary supports to Australians.

The NDIA and Services Australia also publish information about the Fraud Fusion Taskforce on their websites. 

What is the NDIS Commission’s role in the Fraud Fusion Taskforce?

The NDIS Commission works with other agencies to share and analyse information and uses data to identify suspicious patterns that might indicate fraudulent behaviour.

Our experienced investigators gather evidence and conduct inquiries about individuals or entities who may be using fraudulent practices against the NDIS.

As the regulatory authority, the NDIS Commission has the power to enforce compliance and take appropriate action against NDIS providers and individuals found to be involved in fraudulent activities.

Compliance actions can include:

• suspending or cancelling registration
• seeking injunctions and civil penalties, and
• banning a person and/or provider from providing NDIS supports and services.

We take these actions to safeguard NDIS participants from potential harm and to protect the integrity of the scheme.

We also work closely with Taskforce partners to improve integrity and prevent fraud from occurring. This includes through building greater fraud detection and prevention measures to ensure that every dollar of NDIS funding is used for the benefit of people with disability.

How to get help if you are worried about fraud

We strongly encourage anyone who is worried about suspected fraud to report it – even if you are not sure it is fraud.

You can call the NDIS Fraud Reporting and Scams Helpline on 1800 650 717.

You can also email fraudreporting@ndis.gov.au .

If you are concerned you are being overcharged for goods or services, please email pricehelp@ndiscommission.gov.au or call 1800 035 544. You can find out more about your consumer rights, or make a report to the ACCC.  

If you are concerned about the way NDIS supports and services are being delivered – whether you think it is fraud or another problem - you can talk to the NDIS Commission.

We take all complaints seriously. We encourage NDIS participants, their families, carers, advocates, disability support workers and other members of the community to speak up about any concerns they may have with the conduct of any NDIS provider or worker.

Anyone can make a complaint by:

• Phoning: 1800 035 544 (free call from landlines) or TTY 133 677. Interpreters can be arranged
• National Relay Service and ask for 1800 035 544
• Completing a complaint contact form.

What happens when you make a complaint about fraud?

When you make a complaint, you will be asked to provide information so we can investigate further.

We might ask questions like:

• Who are you making a report about?
• What happened that you think might be fraud?
• When did it happen and for how long?
• Where did it occur?
• Why does it seem suspicious?
• How did you find out about it?
• Who else have you reported this matter to?

You can have support when you are talking to us, or you can nominate someone to talk to us for you.

Read more about how we manage complaints.