1.7 million euros in losses

Welfare fraud: 421 Styrian cases in one year

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(Bild: APA/ROLAND SCHLAGER)

1.7 million euros: this was the amount of damage caused by the Styrian cases dealt with by the fledgling "Task Force for Social Benefit Fraud" last year. Of the 447 suspects, 158 were Austrians.

The Styrian figures on social benefit fraud in 2022 were only available a few days ago, and now the nationwide figures are also available. The figures here are higher for Styria - many social benefits (such as unemployment benefits) are not a matter for the province, but for the federal government.

The Ministry of the Interior has broken down the figures in a response to the FPÖ. Specifically, the "Social Benefits Fraud Task Force" dealt with 421 suspected cases in Styria in the previous year with a loss amount of 1.7 million euros. This involved 447 suspects. The most represented nations: 158 Austrians, 68 people from Bosnia-Herzegovina, 40 Croats, 25 Romanians and 22 Syrians. 

False registrations, false information
The inquiry also dealt with a number of specific Styrian cases, and the ministry revealed the details: for example, a 65-year-old Slovenian is said to have registered three compatriots as subtenants under false pretenses so that they could receive benefits from the AMS and pension insurance (loss of 20,445.44 euros).

A 50-year-old Nigerian man has received exactly 38,533.50 euros too much from the AMS since 2018 because he did not report his income. The man is also alleged to have illegally exported hazardous waste and used tires to Africa.

A Bosnian who works and lives in Western Styria had registered his three children with him - in reality they lived with his wife in Bosnia. The Ministry of Finance therefore wrongly transferred 20,827.20 euros in family allowance. 

"More control bodies are needed"
"The response to the inquiry clearly shows that the majority of suspects come from abroad," says FPÖ Member of the National Council Hannes Amesbauer. "More control bodies are needed to be able to take better preventative action against such cases. The establishment of an investigation service at the level of the Styrian provincial administration would be extremely important. The police are certainly doing a very good job in this area."