Social security fraud: what are the consequences?

Verified 04 January 2024 - Legal and Administrative Information Directorate (Prime Minister)

You may be penalized for:

  • Failure to declare a change of situation (e.g. end of rights holder situation), except in good faith
  • Misrepresentation on a claim form for entitlement and benefit
  • Not telling the truth when reporting status and resources for benefit payment
  • Refusal to issue information, failure to comply with summonses, incomplete or unduly late response to requests from the organization
  • Fraudulent obtaining of a social security number

The penalty is the repayment of unjustly collected amounts.

Depending on the situation and the seriousness of the alleged offense, the penalty may be one of the following measures:

  • Suspension of benefits
  • Warning, financial penalty, except in case of good faith of the insured
  • Criminal penalty (fine or imprisonment)

Please note

Membership of a social security scheme is obligatory.

Failure to comply with this obligation is punished by 6 months in prison and/or a fine of €15,000.