Reporting fraud

Fraud can manifest itself in a myriad of ways. The essence is always the same, however: fraud always concerns people or organisations that appropriate money or assets to which they are not entitled, thereby infringing on the rights of others.

On authority of various donors, Nuffic spends more than 100 million euros annually on mobility programmes and institutional cooperation programmes. In the execution and substantiation of these programmes, the parties receiving these grants are required to satisfy specific conditions included in the contract and/or grant.

Examples of fraud

If external parties consciously act unlawfully to appropriate funds for their own use, this is labelled as fraud. Examples include:

• claiming compensation for costs that have not been incurred or cannot be declared;
• spending money on activities that are not part of the project;
• not carrying out projects, but declaring that these have been carried out.

Step 1: Report

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

The Executive Secretary

Nuffic

PO Box 29777

2502 LT The Hague

The Netherlands

The report can be submitted by filling in the Report of Suspected Fraud form.

Report form for suspicion of fraud (61.52 kB)

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;
• your interest in the suspected fraud (not mandatory);
• 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).

Within ten working days you will receive confirmation of receipt (of course, this step does not apply to reports submitted anonymously). Your report will be handled confidentially.

Step 2: Investigation

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

The fraud team will compile a plan of approach.

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.

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

Based on the recommendation issued by the fraud team, Nuffic concludes the outcomes of the investigation shortly and will stipulate the measures and actions to be taken.

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