Total fraud in federal government? For first time, an agency tries to solve

A government agency wants to find out just how much taxpayer money is lost to fraud at the federal level. 

The U.S. Government Accountability Office is attempting, for the first time, to estimate the total amount of fraud in the entire federal government. Comptroller General of the United States Gene Dodaro said his agency could have an estimate later this year. 

The goal is to reduce fraud across all branches of the federal government.

"Measuring and estimating the extent of fraud is part of broader efforts to improve agencies’ actions to strategically manage fraud risk," said Chuck Young, managing director of public affairs for the Government Accountability Office. "The broader work includes putting those measures and estimates in context so that the federal government can effectively use fraud measurement and estimation to enhance its ability to prevent, detect, and respond to fraud."