Social fraud in Austria: Alarming increase to 4,865 cases!

Social fraud in Austria: Alarming increase to 4,865 cases!

Wien, Österreich - The Task Force social service fraud (TF Solbe) recorded a significant increase in cases of social service fraud in 2024. According to a report by , the advertisements rose to a total of 4,457 cases in 2023. Vienna, where 2,626 cases were registered. This worrying development is attributed to increased sensitivity among the population and to an improved cross -agency cooperation.

The TF Solbe was founded in the Federal Criminal Police Office in 2018 to systematically record and combat the criminal abuse of social benefits. Since their foundation, the officials have researched 25,156 suspects and reimbursed 23,653 ads. The total damage caused by social service fraud amount to around 135.6 million euros, which include both the damage that has already been created and prevented, such as OTS reported.

The figures from 2024 show that the advertisements are distributed to the individual federal states: In Lower Austria, 508, 432 cases were reported in Styria 515 and in Upper Austria. Tyrol recorded 270 and Salzburg 153 cases. Carinthia and Vorarlberg also had 133 and 126 cases, while 102 advertisements were filed in Burgenland. These regional differences reflect the different conditions and challenges with which the investigative authorities are confronted, reports Federal criminal office .

In order to counteract the massive increase in social fraud, the authorities rely on increased awareness of the public and intensive media work. The Austrian federal government has clearly known to protect the social system against abuse and sees the TF Solbe a central instrument to secure the Austrian welfare state. The continuous cooperation between the police and the tax authorities and other relevant positions plays a crucial role in effectively against social service fraud.