***help fraud interview with jobcentre tomorrow!! Jail? Please help???***

QUEENY-V

Hi there
I have just recieved a letter from Jobcentre Plus to attend an interview tomorrow under causion and recorded for fraud!
I was claiming Income support even though my working boyfriend was living with us. I did ring them to tell them he had moved in a couple of years ago but when we were having problems he moved out for a few days and I made a rapid reclaim to Income support. This was in 2007 not sure of dates etc.
Anyway I didn't tell them when he moved back in, I totally forgot about it for a while. Anyway I didn't know what to do when I did realise I shouldn't be getting it so I left it, put it to the back of my mind.
Now I have an interview tomorrow, I have already rang and spoke to the woman who will be seeing me and told her I just forgot and want to pay the money back, whatever I owe.
I have never done anything like this before, I suffer with bipolar but haven't been diagnosed yet, I have 2 little boys and a 5 month old baby girl.
What do you think will happen? Will I go to jail or get a fine??
Any advice is much appriciated I will be sat refreshing this page I am so worried.
Thanks everyone xxxxx

slim1982

how can you just forget you wa getting this money if you forgot is it still sat in your account

bestpud

Obviously nobody here can predict what will happen as a result of your interview.

It's pretty serious though tbh as this has been going on a good while.

I think the only thing you can do now is take a deep breath, tell the truth, and await the outcome.

I'm sure there is a part of you that is relieved this is all out in the open now as it can't be fun living under threat of a fraud investigation...

bestpud

slim1982 wrote: »

how can you just forget you wa getting this money if you forgot is it still sat in your account

Clearly she did not forget but I am sure it is the standard line and investigators hear it every day!

Who has said you are bi-polar OP, if it has not been diagnosed? And are you suggesting this was a factor?

NASA_2

I doubt you will get jail but you will be asked to pay back everything that was overpaid to you plus other costs and maybe a fine.

There is no real excuse for this as you agreed to tell the DWP whenever your circumstances change - yet you didnt.

QUEENY-V

slim1982 wrote: »

how can you just forget you wa getting this money if you forgot is it still sat in your account

more put it to back of mind

QUEENY-V

bestpud wrote: »

Obviously nobody here can predict what will happen as a result of your interview.

It's pretty serious though tbh as this has been going on a good while.

I think the only thing you can do now is take a deep breath, tell the truth, and await the outcome.

I'm sure there is a part of you that is relieved this is all out in the open now as it can't be fun living under threat of a fraud investigation...

i am very relieved it's sorting out yes, just worried xx

slim1982

good luck anyway hope everything goes ok x

Gwizz1982

Its a different caution to a full 'criminal' caution -- it doesnt form a criminal record.

This may help

Go to advice now.org , theres help and documents on there.

xx

mrcow

My advice would be that if you are going to try and lie your way out of it, then you need to think of better lies.

As the ones that you have at the moment are laughable.

I'm sure you do want to "pay the money back" now that you've been caught - as a prison term as the alternative isn't looking too rosy is it?

You didn't just forget. That's just insulting people's intelligence. If you try and fob people off with that lie, then people are going to just see you as a liar as well as a fraud.

I suggest you get yourself some legal help - and quickly.

dmg24

QUEENY-V wrote: »

more put it to back of mind

So you did know?

I agree with bestpud on the bipolar point - you cannot be bipolar without diagnosis from a psychiatrist. You can show signs of the condition, but they could be symptomatic of many things.

Bipolar can lead to people having money problems. I have never heard of it leading to fraud of this type.