[go: up one dir, main page]
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Https

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock () or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. Do I have a right to contact the OIG? 

 

FTC employees and contractors have a right to direct contact with the OIG. You may file a complaint with the OIG via the online complaint process or by calling the OIG Hotline at (202) 326-2800. For matters other than filing a complaint, you can find information about contacting the OIG here.  

 

  1. Where should I file my complaint?
     
Complaint

File with

Where to File
Fraud, waste, abuse, and/or misconduct related 
to FTC programs, operations, or employees

OIG

 Contact the OIG Hotline
by filling out a complaint
form or calling the OIG
at (202) 326-2800
Business practices of an individual or entity 
(including about scams)

FTC

 ReportFraud.ftc.gov
Identity theft violations

FTC

 IdentityTheft.gov
"Do Not Call" violations

FTC

 DoNotCall.gov

 

  1. What is my obligation to file a complaint with the OIG?

 

FTC employees have an obligation to promptly report misconduct, fraud, waste, abuse, or mismanagement to the OIG and a duty to cooperate with the OIG.

 

FTC contractors also have an obligation to notify the government whenever they become aware of a contract overpayment or fraud. According to the Federal Acquisition Regulation (“FAR”) 52.203-13, contractors will timely disclose to the OIG—in writing, to with a copy to the contracting officer—whenever, in connection with the award, performance, or closeout of this contract or any subcontract thereunder, the contractor has credible evidence that a principal, employee, agent, or subcontractor of the contractor has committed a violation of federal criminal law involving fraud, conflict of interest, bribery, or gratuity violations found in Title 18 of the United States Code.

 

  1. What protections do I have if I file a complaint with the OIG?

 

You may request that the OIG keep your identity confidential. The OIG is prohibited from disclosing an employee's identity without the employee's consent—unless the OIG determines that disclosure is unavoidable, or the OIG is compelled by a court order. Likewise, the OIG also may not disclose the identity of any individual who files a complaint with the OIG via the OIG website, unless (a) the individual consents to the disclosure, or (b) the Inspector General determines that such disclosure is unavoidable in the course of an investigation. 

 

Notably, the Inspector General Act of 1978, as amended, does not provide complainants and witnesses who are not FTC employees or who have not filed their complaints through the OIG website with an automatic right to confidentiality. However, absent these complainants’ and witnesses’ consent to disclosure of their identities, the OIG will protect their identities from disclosure to the maximum extent permissible by law.

 

In addition, you also have the option to file a complaint anonymously. However, filing an anonymous complaint makes it more challenging for the OIG to respond to the complaint.

 

In addition, federal law prohibits government personnel from retaliating against a federal employee for making a covered disclosure to the OIG. The law further prohibits government contractors from discharging, demoting, or otherwise discriminating against their employees as reprisal for disclosing information to an authorized FTC official (including management officials or the OIG). Please visit the OIG’s Whistleblower Protection page for additional information.

 

  1. Can I keep my identity confidential if I file a complaint with the OIG? 

 

Yes, you may request that the OIG keep your identity confidential. The OIG is prohibited from disclosing an employee's identity without the employee's consent—unless the OIG determines that disclosure is unavoidable, or the OIG is compelled by a court order.

 

Likewise, the OIG also may not disclose the identity of any individual who files a complaint with the OIG via the OIG website, unless 

  • the individual consents to the disclosure, or 
  • the Inspector General determines that such disclosure is unavoidable in the course of an investigation.

 

Notably, the Inspector General Act of 1978, as amended, does not provide complainants and witnesses who are not FTC employees or who have not filed their complaints through the OIG website with an automatic right to confidentiality. However, absent these complainants’ and witnesses’ consent to disclosure of their identities, the OIG will protect their identities from disclosure to the maximum extent permissible by law.

 

  1. Do I have a duty to cooperate with the OIG? 

 

Yes. Pursuant to the Inspector General Act of 1978, as amended, FTC personnel have a duty to cooperate with the OIG. This includes providing prompt and complete access to personnel, facilities, and records. This also means that FTC personnel are required to respond to OIG requests for information unless such response would tend to incriminate the individual. 

 

FTC personnel are not required to obtain permission or inform managers before speaking with the OIG. However, personnel may discuss cooperating with the OIG with their managers unless the OIG instructs otherwise. 

 

Failure to cooperate with an OIG request for information or records is serious misconduct and may lead to disciplinary action up to and including removal. Further, furnishing false information, concealing any type of information from the OIG, or obstructing the OIG from accomplishing its work could result in disciplinary action or criminal prosecution.

 

  1. Can I learn the status of a complaint or investigation?

 

The OIG does not provide status reports. To obtain information about the OIG’s activities, you may consult the OIG’s most recent semiannual report, which can be found, along with all public reports, here—or file a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request. 

 

  1. How can I find information about completed OIG investigations?

 

The OIG reports on the nature and results of investigations regularly, in its Semiannual Report to Congress. 

 

Except with respect to certain high-level officials, privacy laws generally restrict an OIG from disclosing the specifics of an investigation to anyone other than the subject and agency officials with a need to know. In appropriate cases, the OIG may inform the subject of an investigation and/or the complainant of the results. An investigation that results in litigation, a criminal conviction, or a settlement is publicly reported on the OIG’s website (see "In the Media").

 

  1. Who is the FTC’s Inspector General? 

 

Andrew Katsaros has been the FTC Inspector General since November 2018. You can find more information about IG Katsaros’ background here. 

 

  1. How do I find information about the federal government's inspector general community?

 

Visit the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency’s (CIGIE) website. Also visit Oversight.gov to find public reports from OIGs across the federal government. 

 

  1. How do I find information about the OIG community’s pandemic oversight efforts?

 

Visit the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee's (PRAC)’s website.