Memorandum  #33: New Fraud Prevention Poster

Date:	11/01/2017
Organization:	Public Employee Retirement Administration Commission
Referenced Sources:	PERAC Website

PERAC Memo #33, 2017

To All Retirement Boards:

M E M O R A N D U M

TO: All Retirement Boards

FROM: Joseph E. Connarton, Executive Director

RE: New Fraud Prevention Poster

DATE: November 1, 2017

In accordance with statutory requirements, the Public Employee Retirement Administration Commission (PERAC) maintains a toll-free hotline for the reporting of suspected fraudulent public pension claims, payments, falsified records, and affidavits.

The hotline number is 1-800-445-3266. All messages are kept confidential.

Since 1998, PERAC has promoted the hotline through poster campaigns built around various slogans: “I’m Not Hurting Anyone”; “This Is A Losing Hand”; “Pension Fraud Is Stealing”; “Pension Fraud! Let’s Cut it Out!” and “Stop Pension Fraud. It is not a Game.”

This year’s campaign is “One Bad Apple Can Spoil the Whole Bunch.” The poster prominently features our hotline as well as our email address for reporting any suspected fraud. Since we first introduced the email address, [e-mail], it has remained a popular means of communication for reporting suspected fraud.

We are enclosing three posters for your use. Please display them in your office and other locations in your building that provide maximum visibility. We have also enclosed three copies of a brochure that informs readers about the PERAC Fraud Prevention Unit and provides some details about various types of pension fraud. Three copies of PERAC's “Referral Report of Potential Fraud” form are provided as well. Your staff should use these forms to report instances of suspected public pension fraud to PERAC's Fraud Unit. You should also make copies of the form available to anyone else who wishes to report suspected public pension fraud.

Please note that county and regional retirement systems will receive, under separate cover, copies of the fraud prevention materials to distribute to the local governmental units with which they interact.

For additional copies of the poster, brochure, or form, please feel free to contact our Communications Director, Natacha Dunker, at 617-666-4446, extension 970.

The Commission sincerely appreciates your cooperation in this endeavor.

Commission Members

Philip Y Brown, Esq., Chairman
Auditor Suzanne M. Bump
Kathleen M. Fallon
Kate Fitzpatrick
James M. Machado
Robert B. McCarthy
Jennifer F. Sullivan