REPORT FRAUD, WASTE, AND ABUSE

REPORT FRAUD, WASTE, AND ABUSE

The Department of the Attorney General and the Hawai‘i State Ethics Commission are working together to try to identify fraud, waste, abuse, or other violations involving government funds and/or government workers.

If you suspect that a government official in Hawai‘i is engaged in any kind of fraud, waste, or abuse of position, please fill out our complaint form or contact us, confidentially, at 587-0000 or [email protected].

If you have a complaint about fraud that does not involve the government or government funds – for example, if you believe you have been the victim of a scam – please see the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs “Fraud Prevention and Resource Guide,” available at https://cca.hawaii.gov/sec/files/2015/10/Fraud-Guide-2.pdf.


FRAUD is deception intended to result in financial or personal gain, including misrepresentation of facts, making false statements, or concealment of information. Some examples of fraud may include:

  • Submitting false pricing information, or knowing approval of expenditures based on false information
  • Falsifying procurement records, disposal records, overtime records, or leave records
  • Knowingly charging or paying for goods and services that were not provided
  • Knowingly applying for multiple grants for the same set of expenses (“double-dipping”)
  • Falsifying or eligibility in order to quality for government grants or contracts


WASTE is the thoughtless or careless expenditure, mismanagement, or abuse of resources to the detriment (or potential detriment) of the government, including incurring unnecessary costs resulting from inefficient or ineffective practices, systems, or controls. Some examples of waste may include:

  • Ignoring competitive bidding requirements when required
  • Buying overpriced equipment from a favored vendor
  • Buying unnecessary goods or services


ABUSE is defined as excessive or improper use of a thing, or to use something in a manner contrary to the natural or legal rules for its use. Some examples of abuse may include:

  • Steering government contracts towards friends or family
  • Asking for, or receiving, gifts from vendors/contractors
  • Issuing a request for bids with specifications written by a vendor, so only that vendor can meet the specifications


Report Fraud, Waste, and Abuse: https://ethics.hawaii.gov/fraud_complaint/