Procedure for reporting suspected fraud

Step 1: Report

1. Persons or organisations wishing to report suspected external fraud must do so in writing to the Nuffic reporting centre:

The Executive Secretary
Nuffic
P.O. Box 29777
2502 LT The Hague
The Netherlands

2. The report can be submitted by filling in the Report of Suspected Fraud form. The following should be indicated clearly:

• a description of the suspected fraud, specific details about the contract, grant, etc.
• the name of the person(s) or organisation involved in the suspected fraud;
• the period in which the suspected fraud took place;
• the date of the report;
• the name and signature of the person reporting the suspicion of fraud (note: if you do not wish to disclose your identity, you may omit your name and signature from the form).

Download the form for reporting a suspicion of fraud (106.5 kB)

3. Within ten working days you will receive confirmation of receipt from Nuffic's Executive Secretary (of course, this step does not apply to reports submitted anonymously). The Executive Secretary of Nuffic's Director-General will handle the file confidentially.

Step 2: Investigation

4. Nuffic will compile a fraud team to perform an independent investigation of the fraud.

5. The fraud team will compile a plan of approach.

6. Within four weeks of the appointment of the fraud team, the team will issue its recommendations about the report of suspected fraud. A report will be compiled for this purpose discussing the fraud team’s findings and recommendations. If the recommendation cannot be issued within four weeks, Nuffic will set a new term.

7. The person or organisation reporting the suspected fraud will receive written notice that the term has been extended or that a recommendation has been issued (if the report was not submitted anonymously).

8. Before Nuffic determines its position in this matter, the person alleged to have committed the fraud will be given the opportunity to speak for him or herself.

Step 3: Conclusion

9. Based on the recommendation issued by the fraud team, Nuffic will determine its position within two weeks and will stipulate the measures and actions to be taken.

10. Nuffic will inform the person or organisation that reported the suspicion of fraud about this in writing (where they provided their name). If a very strong suspicion of fraud has been ascertained, the police will be called in.