The OIG encourages you to use its online form to file your complaint.
You can also download the OIG Hotline Form and mail or fax it to our office. Please note that it will take longer to process your complaint if submitted by mail or fax.
U.S. Department of Education
Office of Inspector General Hotline
400 Maryland Avenue, S.W.
Washington D.C. 20202-1500
Fax: (202) 245-7047
If you need assistance, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions page or call the OIG Hotline at 1-800-MIS-USED (1-800-647-8733)
Operators are available*:
Monday and Wednesday: 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. EST
Tuesday and Thursday: 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. EST
*Except Federal holidays
What Information Do I Need to Provide When I File a Complaint?
When you contact the Hotline to submit a complaint, be prepared to provide specific details about the alleged violation of rule, law, or regulation, including:
- Person or company engaged in wrongdoing
- Description, location, and dates of the wrongdoing
- Identity of witnesses
- Contract/grant numbers related to the allegation
- How you became aware of the improprieties
- Supporting documentation
Additional Information About Filing a Complaint
To be a lawful disclosure, disclosures involving classified information can be made only through secure channels and between individuals who are authorized to receive the disclosures. You can make a protected disclosure of classified information to the OIG, but the information may not be transmitted using the OIG’s unclassified hotline website.
If you have a complaint to file that requires the disclosure of classified information, please call the OIG Hotline at 1-800-MIS-USED (1-800-647-8733) or contact the nearest investigative office and state that you have a complaint to file that involves classified information and ask for instructions on how to file it.
You may request confidentiality at the time you file your complaint. Confidentiality is a set of policies and regulations that prevent the OIG from releasing your identity outside of our office. Be advised of the following:
- Confidentiality only applies to your identity, not to the information provided (i.e., the OIG may, if necessary, share the facts and circumstances provided by you).
- You may later consent to release your identity.
- Your identity may be disclosed to other OIG personnel, prosecutors, and law enforcement agencies or pursuant to court order or Congressional committee request.
- Your identity will be included in OIG files, memoranda, records, etc.
- The OIG cannot control whether other persons you reported allegations or information to will protect your identity.
- Given the nature of the information you provide, other individuals, including coworkers, subordinates, supervisors, etc., may deduce or infer the OIG’s source of the information.
- A request for confidentiality may preclude the OIG from taking further action, if the information provided is of a specific or personal nature that action would require identity disclosure (e.g., a person alleges retaliation).
Please know that we cannot provide information regarding what actions have been taken on any allegation reported to our office, including case status, as Federal regulations prohibit the disclosure of information contained in law enforcement records even to the individual submitting the allegation. You may, however, request information about an investigation by filing a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request.
Many of the complaints received by the OIG Hotline do not result in OIG investigations, audits, or other reviews because they do not involve ED funds or programs, or they may require administrative action by an ED program office. In these situations, we forward the complaint or allegation to the appropriate ED office or other government agency. Please note that you will not receive a response on issues unrelated to the OIG.