FBI-NJ launches health care fraud awareness drive

Federal authorities in New Jersey are launching an advertising campaign urging the public to report health care fraud. The FBI’s Newark office is unveiling a series of digital advertisements Monday that will be placed in shopping mall kiosks and on highway billboards across the state. Spokesman Bryan Travers says the campaign marks the first time the FBI has used advertising to promote a general investigative program. New Jersey’s pilot program will run for two months and be expanded nationally if successful. The FBI says health care fraud accounts for one of the largest losses of taxpayer dollars from any government program. Losses from health care fraud in New Jersey were estimated at $7.5 million in 2010, but only 18 cases of fraud were reported by the public.