Different Whistleblower Programs

There are several different whistleblower programs with different requirements, goals and mandates. In many cases, more than one program might be appropriate. Navigating which programs are relevant to a particular claim and how and in what sequence they should be filed is critical.

Among the federal government’s whistleblower programs the following stand out:

• The False Claims Act is the oldest and most often used federal whistleblower program, rewarding those who blow the whistle on frauds that cost the federal government.
• The SEC Whistleblower Program rewards and protects whistleblowers who submit tips to the SEC related to violations of federal securities laws.
• The Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s Whistleblower Program rewards and protects whistleblowers who expose violations of the Commodity Exchange Act, which regulates the trading of commodity futures.
• The Internal Revenue Service’s Whistleblower Office rewards and protects whistleblowers who fail to pay the taxes they owe.
• The Motor Vehicle Safety Whistleblower Program rewards and protects individuals who expose motor vehicle safety violations that would likely lead to serious injuries or deaths.

Several states and municipalities have their own whistleblower statutes, including programs that specifically target insurance fraud.

Potential whistleblowers should proceed cautiously to ensure that they identify and comply with each relevant program.