Morocco Tightens Controls on COVID-19 Aid to Combat Fraud

Further strengthen the control system for direct aid in the coronavirus crisis. The aim is to prevent fraudsters from infiltrating in order to benefit from this aid to the detriment of the real beneficiaries, namely the most affected people and companies. Thus, the requests are now processed on a case-by-case basis. The multiplication of cases of false declarations coming from people or companies that are not eligible for aid has alerted the Executive, which has decided to lock down the system, according to sources at the Ministry of Economy.

The Economic Monitoring Committee has taken drastic measures to eliminate the fraudsters. The Directorate General of Taxes (DGI) has been associated with the efforts to target direct aid, while the General Inspectorate of Finance (IGF) is responsible for verifications and control. It will be supported by tax inspectors. Also, a thorough revision of the eligibility conditions for beneficiaries of the lump-sum allowance of 2,000 DH from the National Social Security Fund (CNSS) has been carried out. It is learned that the requests will be processed in detail at the level of the Directorate of Studies and Financial Forecasts (DEPF) under the Ministry of Economy, Finance and Administration Reform. "The work will consist of cross-checking several elements of the identification data of the national identity card and the applicant’s profile, with other information drawn from other files from other administrations," explains a source at the DEPF.

Several non-eligible companies and individuals have infiltrated the process. These include the unemployed before the crisis, retirees with an annuity and those who do not, and informal sector employees who have been able to keep their sources of income, reports La Vie Éco. To these are added transport companies, temporary employment companies and private schools that have defrauded to benefit from the aid, specifies a source at the Ministry of Economy, Finance and Administration Reform.