2626 cases of fraud on social assistance in Vienna alone!
In 2024, authorities in Vienna recorded a record number of social assistance fraud cases, with 2,626 reports filed regarding suspected fraud cases in the social system. These cases account for more than half of the reported cases in Austria. Investigators confirm that this type of crime becomes more apparent as oversight increases, reflecting the effectiveness of the authorities' work, with a detection rate of nearly 100%.
The violations relate to assistance such as unemployment benefits, basic social support, primary care, and family allowances. Data indicates that 73% of the suspects are not Austrian citizens.
Some people are trying to obtain money they do not deserve by using forged documents or by concealing their long-term residence abroad. Gerald Tatzgern, head of the eighth department at the Federal Criminal Office, mentioned that there are cases where individuals apply for family benefits for five children while there are only two genuine birth certificates. These cases are particularly common among arrivals from Turkey, the Western Balkans, and other countries, where up to 30 suspicious cases are discovered on every flight that is inspected. Authorities have also recorded an increase in similar cases among Ukrainians, who receive social assistance despite working illegally.
In one case, a 65-year-old woman with Iranian nationality was tried in the criminal court in Vienna in May. Although she was registered in the 23rd district, she had lived for long periods in Iran, according to the indictment, while continuing to receive social support, causing financial losses of about 20,000 euros. She was sentenced to ten months in prison, suspended.
These figures have sparked sharp criticism from the FPÖ party in Vienna, where social spokesperson Wolfgang Seidl described the situation as a serious abuse of the system. He demanded that social assistance be limited to Austrian citizens only, calling for the recovery of funds from fraudsters, their deportation, and a lifetime ban from receiving assistance.