Since setting up a task force against social benefit fraud in July 2018, the authorities have uncovered damage totaling around 60 million euros in over 11,000 reports. Crimes such as fraudulently obtaining minimum income and unemployment benefits and illegally drawn pensions were investigated.
Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP) said at a press conference that 30 percent of the offenses were committed by Austrians and 70 percent by foreigners. It is a “classic control offence” – in other words: the higher the search pressure, the more cases are also known. Last year alone, a total of around 19.1 million euros in damage was determined.
Finance Minister Magnus Brunner (ÖVP) emphasized that although solidarity is a cornerstone of society, it must also apply to the taxpayers who finance these services. “Solidarity is not a one-way street,” said Brunner.
widespread crimes
The offenses were very widespread. For example, the task force identified 50 different forms of inspection for the head of the central office for combating human trafficking, Gerald Tatzgern, as social benefits being stolen.
The main categories were, among other things, obtaining minimum income by fraud despite having sufficient assets, abusing pension benefits by pretending to live in a sham, illegally receiving family allowance or obtaining basic services by fraud by using a false identity.
Supermarket chain among investigators
The head of the financial police, Wilfried Lehner, reported on specific cases, for example of a supermarket chain where all 1,100 employees were employed on a part-time basis, although they had worked full-time. Unemployment benefits were practically part of the business model here.
Furthermore, a woman was investigated who received both unemployment benefit and unemployment assistance, although she had rental income of around 80,000 euros from the rental of 17 holiday apartments and a villa in Croatia for the period from 2016 to 2021.
The authorities emphasized that the fight against social benefits being obtained by fraud should be maintained. After all, this money is missing for “other projects that we want to implement,” as Brunner said.