Harrisburg, PA – The Office of State Inspector General (OSIG) announced today that since the beginning of the Shapiro Administration it has investigated over 62,000 applications for public assistance fraud, preventing nearly $179 million worth of public benefits from being distributed to those not entitled to assistance. In 2025 alone, after investigating nearly 20,000 applications, it saved taxpayers over $61 million. This work stops fraud from happening before payments are distributed to people who don’t qualify for them.
“Preventing fraud and protecting taxpayer dollars are at the heart of our mission,” said State Inspector General Michelle A. Henry. “When we stop fraud before it happens, we’re making sure that public funds go where they’re truly needed, to support Pennsylvanians who rely on these vital programs. We remain vigilant in detecting fraud and stopping it at the…
Review your monthly bank statements and credit card bills line-by-line to spot small “tester” transactions of R5 or R10, which fraudsters use to verify if a stolen card is still active.