In connection with social benefit fraud were in the previous year 5,007 suspects investigated. That were by 7.82 percent more than 2023. Of the suspects were 1,400 Austrian citizens and 3,607 foreigners. That emerges from the answer to a parliamentary question of the FPÖ by Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP). The resulting total damage amounted in the year 2024 to 23.36 million euros.

This sum lay although clearly above the numbers of the years 2020 to 2022, but by 2.15 million euros below the 2023 caused damage. Of the 23.36 million euros fell 11.19 million euros on the two-million-city Vienna, thus in the federal capital the detected damage by 636,000 euros under that from the year 2023 lay. That corresponded to a minus of 9.36 percent.

In difference to Vienna and other federal states, where the for 2024 determined damage sums compared to the year before partially significantly fell, there were clear increases in Vorarlberg with 1.01 million euros after 631,403 euros in the year before (a plus of 60.07 percent) and in Styria with 2.67 million euros after 1.57 million euros in the year 2023 (a plus of 69.9 percent).

Specially established task force researched more than 25,000 suspects

Since founding of the Taskforce Social Benefit Fraud in the year 2018 were 25,156 suspects investigated and 23,653 reports filed. In doing so could a total damage of around 135.6 million euros be determined. “This sum includes both the already actually caused damage and that damage, which by continued unlawful benefits could be prevented,” it was said on Saturday from the Federal Criminal Police Office. These numbers speak “for the sustainable effect of the Task Force and its decisive role in protecting the Austrian social system,” was emphasized.

“These numbers document a dramatic imbalance. The social fraud is out of control, the welfare state is deliberately exploited,” opined in contrast the Freedom Party member of parliament Peter Wurm on Saturday in a press release. It needs “finally a clear line” towards persons “who deliberately defraud and exploit our social system,” urged Wurm: “What here happens before our eyes is an organized robbery against the Austrian taxpayers.”

The clearance rates for social benefit fraud lie at almost 100 percent. Of 4,865 individual crimes in the previous year could 4,841 or 99.5 percent be clarified.