Fraud & Waste

Cyberattacks on New York’s Critical Infrastructure

Cyberattacks are a serious threat to America’s critical infrastructure and have the potential to severely impact our day-to-day lives. According to the FBI, cyberattack complaints in New York State increased 53% between 2016 and 2022, jumping from 16,426 incidents in 2016 to 25,112 in 2022. Estimated losses in New York from cyberattacks in 2022 totaled over $775 million, while losses nationwide totaled $10.3 billion.

Independent Oversight: OSC's Contract Review Safeguards Public Funds, May 2022

The Comptroller is responsible for ensuring State and local governments use taxpayer money effectively and efficiently, including through the review of contracts. This year’s State budget allowed at least $11 billion in spending without a competitive process or the benefit of an OSC review. OSC’s oversight adds tremendous value, and contract review was completed in an average of just 5.3 days in 2021. A bill to statutorily restore certain OSC oversight authority for billions of dollars in contract spending should be enacted in this legislative session.

Enterprise Fraud, Waste and Abuse Prevention and Detection, September 1, 2021

The New York State Legislature amended the State Finance Law in 2015 by adding a new Section 8-c, which provides for the establishment of a statewide electronic system to help detect and prevent fraud, waste and abuse in government spending and to help avoid improper payment of public funds.

The Increasing Threat of Identity Theft

Identity theft cases surged in New York State in 2020, inflicting financial losses on individuals and threatening disruption to government programs as well as private financial institutions. Identity theft complaints surpassed 67,000 statewide last year, more than four times the annual total from a decade earlier, according to Federal Trade Commission data.

Enterprise Fraud, Waste and Abuse Prevention and Detection Act, September 1, 2016

Chapter 566 of the Laws of 2015, the “Enterprise Fraud, Waste and Abuse Prevention and Detection Act” (Act), codified as State Finance Law § 8-c, was enacted in December 2015 and took effect on April 19, 2016. The Act sets forth provisions for a Statewide electronic system to help detect and prevent waste, fraud, and abuse and the improper payment of public moneys.

Enterprise Fraud, Waste and Abuse Prevention and Detection, September 1, 2017

Data analytics involves collecting, organizing and analyzing large sets of data. It can be used for many purposes. At the Office of the State Comptroller (OSC), it holds potential for building on the agency’s record of detecting and preventing fraud, waste and abuse in State government contracting and spending.

Enterprise Fraud, Waste and Abuse Prevention and Detection, September 1, 2018

The Enterprise Fraud, Waste and Abuse Prevention and Detection Act (Act) of 2015 (State Finance Law Section 8-c) called for the establishment of a statewide electronic system in New York to help detect and prevent fraud, waste, and abuse in government spending and avoid improper payment of public moneys.