False allegations of Benefit fraud

rogerblack

Mother_hen wrote: »

Hello
I was on benefits for a couple of yrs after my husband left me. I was asked to go to an interview<snip>

Is there going to be something against my name? Against my NI number? What happens with regards to me not going to the above said interview etc........
Any advice on what and where to go would be great

You need to work out what was decided on your case.

Various things may have occurred, from you being convicted of benefit fraud, and sent to prison in your absence (if it was a very significant overpayment), to the letter you sent them fully answering their questions, and the case being closed.

Simply moving out of the country will not have automatically stopped any investigation and removed any overpayment that may have occurred.

What was the interview regarding?

Mara69

Mother_hen wrote: »

Any advice on what and where to go would be great

Stay where you are.

legs1100

How do you know it is your ex wife, have you been staying at your girlfriends alot then, it maybe someone who she knows. Do you have evidence that is it your ex wife, or are you just assuming. Maybe you are to quick to point the finger and are making false allegations against your ex wife. If you are staying at your girlfriends alot then you are making her commit benefit fraud, then you are to blame. They wouldnt keep stopping her money unless they suspect her of committing fraud. They only send a letter, investigations take longer. It must be someone that is aware of you staying there and knows of her situation. If she is committing fraud due to you staying, then like others she should face the consequences as there are very genuine people that need this money.

legs1100

You dont speak highly of your ex wife, you seem to have a grudge to bear. Your quotes are not really about you and your girlfriend committing benefit fraud, probably together, but are solely based around your ex wife, then you are on the wrong forum. They must have proof your girlfriend is committing fraud, unless your ex wife is camping outside every night, then you really have no proof. Its not good to make false allegations on here about your ex wife, this is about real people and real lives, you are on the wrong forum.

MoominMama

I have just been reported FALSELY and anonymously for benefit fraud, I was accused of having my boyfriend live with me.

I was called in for an interview, was told on the phone all I'd need to do was come in, sign a statement saying 'nobody lives with me' and that would be it, well, what a lie, all that was missing was a angle poise lamp pointed in my face and thumb screws, it was terrifying.

I was told I was about to be asked 'personal and challenging questions that I would not like but tough, I have to answer them'

I was asked, does your boyfriend live with you? How long have you been seeing eachother? When did you meet? Did you start seeing eachother as soon as you met or was there other contact first? Do you plan on getting married at some point in the future?

It was disgusting, absolutely intrusive and humiliating, being treated like a silly little child called into the headmasters office or someone who is not allowed to have a normal adult relationship like everyone else.

All I claim is half widowed parents benefit, god knows what my grass thought I was getting, a fortune and living the life of Riley probably.

I have a rough idea who it is, I have a neighbour who I don't know from a bar of soap, after my husband died she sent me hate emails, she got my email address from another neighbour I was friends with, after I reported her to the police for harassment I then got anonymously reported to Social Services for disgusting things I was supposed to have done with my children, how they never got taken into care right there and then God only knows, and this is all shortly after my husband died and my youngest was only 6.

There are some sick, nasty, spiteful people out there that use this anonymous reporting as a weapon and something needs to be done about it, if the accused is found innocent then the accuser should be named and shamed.

I can't even go to the police about this harassment because it's all done anonymously!

Caz3121

legs1100 wrote: »

How do you know it is your ex wife, have you been staying at your girlfriends alot then, it maybe someone who she knows. Do you have evidence that is it your ex wife, or are you just assuming. Maybe you are to quick to point the finger and are making false allegations against your ex wife. If you are staying at your girlfriends alot then you are making her commit benefit fraud, then you are to blame. They wouldnt keep stopping her money unless they suspect her of committing fraud. They only send a letter, investigations take longer. It must be someone that is aware of you staying there and knows of her situation. If she is committing fraud due to you staying, then like others she should face the consequences as there are very genuine people that need this money.

the person you posing these questions to has not been on this forum for over 2 years so you are unlikely to get any answers

Poppie68

Just spent 10 mins reading a thread from 2 years ago....!

FBaby

I was asked, does your boyfriend live with you? How long have you been seeing eachother? When did you meet? Did you start seeing eachother as soon as you met or was there other contact first? Do you plan on getting married at some point in the future?

However unpleasant being questioned is when you haven't done anything wrong, I would consider the above questions disgusting and humiliating. In the end, there are people who do claim single benefits whilst being in a living with a supportive partner. How are the investigation team to know when a report is likely to be accurate of spiteful without investigating, and how can you investigate without being asked questions?

Unfortunately, there are many times in life when you have to face very unpleasant situations despite doing nothing wrong, it's part of life. I can understand the frustration with having been reported, but you can't blame the investigation team for it.

Dunroamin

MoominMama wrote: »

I have just been reported FALSELY and anonymously for benefit fraud, I was accused of having my boyfriend live with me.

I was called in for an interview, was told on the phone all I'd need to do was come in, sign a statement saying 'nobody lives with me' and that would be it, well, what a lie, all that was missing was a angle poise lamp pointed in my face and thumb screws, it was terrifying.

I doubt that much fraud would be found if accused people could just come in and sign a statement to say they were innocent. Would you like to extend the idea to the whole of the criminal justice system as it would empty the courts and the prisons if we did!

SuzieSue

MoominMama wrote: »

I have just been reported FALSELY and anonymously for benefit fraud, I was accused of having my boyfriend live with me.

I was called in for an interview, was told on the phone all I'd need to do was come in, sign a statement saying 'nobody lives with me' and that would be it, well, what a lie, all that was missing was a angle poise lamp pointed in my face and thumb screws, it was terrifying.

I was told I was about to be asked 'personal and challenging questions that I would not like but tough, I have to answer them'

I was asked, does your boyfriend live with you? How long have you been seeing eachother? When did you meet? Did you start seeing eachother as soon as you met or was there other contact first? Do you plan on getting married at some point in the future?

It was disgusting, absolutely intrusive and humiliating, being treated like a silly little child called into the headmasters office or someone who is not allowed to have a normal adult relationship like everyone else.

All I claim is half widowed parents benefit, god knows what my grass thought I was getting, a fortune and living the life of Riley probably.

I have a rough idea who it is, I have a neighbour who I don't know from a bar of soap, after my husband died she sent me hate emails, she got my email address from another neighbour I was friends with, after I reported her to the police for harassment I then got anonymously reported to Social Services for disgusting things I was supposed to have done with my children, how they never got taken into care right there and then God only knows, and this is all shortly after my husband died and my youngest was only 6.

There are some sick, nasty, spiteful people out there that use this anonymous reporting as a weapon and something needs to be done about it, if the accused is found innocent then the accuser should be named and shamed.

I can't even go to the police about this harassment because it's all done anonymously!

Yes, I'm sure it was unpleasant and I feel sorry for you having to go through it, but surely you understand why they had to do it? If they didn't interrogate people, then how would they find the fraudsters?

If you weren't doing anything wrong, then it should have been easy for you to answer the questions truthfully.

Unfortunately, the benefits system has depended on people being honest for too long and of course, some people take advantage and it is innocent people like you who suffer, but it happens in every part of life.