A party may be subject to criminal prosecution even when the
attempted fraud is unsuccessful. The penalty upon conviction for
violation of the criminal provisions of the Social Security Act
or Title 18 of the United States Code may be a fine, imprisonment,
or both.
The following actions are subject to criminal prosecution
for fraud:
•
Furnishing false information
of identity in connection with the establishment and maintenance
of Social Security Administration (SSA) records, or with the intent
to gain information as to the date of birth, employment, wages,
or benefits of any person;
•
Forging or falsifying SSA documents;
•
Conspiring to obtain or allow a false, fictitious,
or fraudulent claim;
•
Using a Social Security number obtained on the basis
of false information or falsely using the Social Security number
of another person, for the purpose of obtaining or increasing a
payment under Social Security or any other federally funded program,
or for any other purpose;
•
Altering, buying, selling, or counterfeiting a Social
Security card;
•
Disclosing, using, or compelling the disclosure
of the Social Security number of any person for unauthorized purposes;
•
Making or causing to be made a false statement or
representation of a material fact for use in determining rights
to Social Security benefits, Medicare, or Supplemental Security Income;
•
Making or causing to be made any false statement
or representation of a material fact in any application for any
payment or for a disability determination under the Social Security
Act;
•
Making or causing to be made any false statement
or representation as to whether wages were paid or received, the
amount of such wages, the period during which wages were paid or
received, or the person to whom such wages were paid;
•
Making or causing to be made any false statement
or representation as to whether net earnings from self-employment
were received, the amount of such earnings, the period during which
such earnings were received, or the person who received them;
•
Concealing or failing to report any event affecting
the initial or continued right to payment received or to be received
by a person individually or on behalf of another;
•
Converting all or any part of a payment received
on behalf of a beneficiary to a use other than for the use and benefit
of that beneficiary;
•
Falsely representing oneself to be an employee of
the U.S. Government;
•
Accessing SSA computer records without authorization;
•
Disclosing unauthorized information from SSA's systems
of records; and
•
Receiving or soliciting a bribe, illegal gratuity,
or contribution to or supplementation of salary for U.S. Government
service.