The Challenge of Being a Whistleblower

It usually begins as a typical day in the office. While working in your job, something strikes you as odd. Maybe it’s a company directive. Perhaps it’s a discrepancy in some numbers. Or maybe it’s a stray remark from a colleague. The next day, or the next week, you find yourself thinking about it, and you dig a little deeper. The more you learn, the more you suspect that something is very wrong. You see what looks like fraud against the government.

Perhaps you bring the matter to the attention of your boss. But your concerns are not taken seriously. To the contrary, you might be told that you don’t understand, just do your job, don’t worry about it, or “let sleeping dogs lie.” The reaction to your report deepens your suspicion and frustration.

What can you do?

The False Claims Act and similar state laws protect and reward reporting fraud against the government. The law generally protects actions taken to investigate a potential fraud against the government. If a fraud is actually being perpetrated, the False Claims Act provides substantial incentives for those who successfully help the government recover ill-gotten gains.

Do you have a case?  Not everything that looks like a fraud actually is one. There is plenty of waste and mismanagement in government programs which does not amount to a false claims violation. And even if there is potential fraud, it may not be worth risking your job.

To expose fraud requires diligent investigation, careful evaluation of the facts, and a realistic assessment of your rights and responsibilities as a citizen-whistleblower. To properly evaluate your options, you need help.

We rigorously investigate and evaluate potential claims, for your protection. Litigation is no walk in the park, particularly when suing a large corporation for fraud. Before you file, it is critical to develop a strong claim with substantial potential damages – one that is worth the risk to you.

For over a decade, the lawyers at the Whistleblower Action Network have helped potential whistleblowers evaluate and pursue their claims. It’s all we do. Time and time again, we have helped our clients—whistleblowers who have risked so much—to travel that long road from suspicion to success.