Would you report someone you knew for benefit fraud?

pinkshoes

I knew of someone else doing this, which was indeed reported by several people (including me).

What happened?

Well, they sent her a letter saying they were coming to visit, so on said day, they put all her boyfriend's stuff in the car so it wasn't in the house, and she told them she lived on her own and had no job.

That was it. No evidence of man in house, so no action to be taken.

Why they gave her advance warning of their visit infuriates me! I mean, seriously, what is the point?!?!

(I'd still report her if she did it again though...)

WeeBabyDoll

It sounds to me like there is some bitterness in the air? She has 2 kids, and if she is reported she will have to pay back all the money she claimed and a huge fine, eviction, possibly prison. Are you really willing to do that? It doesn't affect you at all. It's a dog eat dog world with the economy at the moment and any extra cash is a blessing. Plus the benefit system is going to change soon. Morally it is wrong, but would you not do any to give your kids and yourself a nice life.

redpete

WeeBabyDoll wrote: »

Morally it is wrong, but would you not do anything to give your kids and yourself a nice life.

No, there are lots of things I wouldn't do just to give my family "a nice life". Benefit fraud is one thing I wouldn't do.

WeeBabyDoll

What I dont get is why you would want to report her. It doesnt affect you at all. I would do absolutly anything for my family.

pimento

No, I wouldn't report anyone for benefit fraud. The amount frauded by people falsely claiming benefits is a drop in the ocean compared to the amount lost to tax avoidance schemes by companies and the super rich.

As to calling a fraud hotline, who do the Benefits Agency think we are? It's like East Germany and the Stasi before the wall came down all of us spying on and grassing up our neighbours.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stasi

giraffe69

grassing up our neighbours.

That's the sort of attiitude you expect from 13 year old schoolboys.
1. We are paying for this fraud
2. By all means do what we can to stop any other fraud. Tax avoidance is legal. Tax evasion is not.
3. Why is reporting a crime akin to East Germany and the Stasi?

catgil

Personally I wouldn't report her. Sorry folks and I know I'll get flamed for this but I am a tax payer and work full time and don't claim anything. I'm skint and have a mortage but I tend to mind my own business. Benefits are a pittance and I really don't know how single parents manage anyway. I wouldn't want to make life more difficult for anyone. My motto is "what goes around comes around". Just my opinion

real1314

WeeBabyDoll wrote: »

What I dont get is why you would want to report her. It doesnt affect you at all. I would do absolutly anything for my family.

Sell Drugs? Muggings? Burglary? Rob a bank?

What you are talking about is not "what you would do to ensure your family were housed, warm and fed" but instead "what you would do to add extra luxuries to your lifestyle at the epense of others".

There is no "free money", it's all from taxpayers. Most people start paying tax at £150 a week, should they pay whilst others defraud their tax payments?

dtsazza

pimento wrote: »

No, I wouldn't report anyone for benefit fraud. The amount frauded by people falsely claiming benefits is a drop in the ocean compared to the amount lost to tax avoidance schemes by companies and the super rich.

Ironically I think this post is a strong example of why they should be reported.

As with many others, I don't see how this is even a question. It's taking money that one is not entitled to by deception; it's fraud, committed against the state and thus all of us by proxy.

And the worst thing about this, in one respect, isn't simply a money issue. We live together in a society that is held together by common respect for rules and customs, for the greater good (though by definition some of these will impinge on purely selfish benefit). If a notable number of cases emerge whereby someone can ignore a law they don't like in order to get a personal gain, without any ramifications - well, that's going to do two things:

1. Inspire other people to follow that exact example, because it's proven to be a risk free gain;
2. Elict retaliatory tactics from those being disadvantaged (everyone in society, in this case) - be that as simple as "well, I'd have got a larger pension if the coffers hadn't been depleted by false benefit claims, so it's only fair that I lie on my pension form in order to get back the money I'm rightfully owed." Or as direct as "since (s)he injustly receives £2,000 from the taxpayers every year, as a taxpayer I'm going to go and take their TV to make up for it."

Your post is a good example of this sort of mentality - you're implying that because some people have broken the rules* for personal gain, it's somehow more OK for others to do the same! I find that insupportable personally, but regardless it's clear that this leads to a slippery slope where everyone is breaking every law and pointing at everyone else for justification.

So this needs to be stamped out. As another poster said, "what goes around, comes around." In this case, if you ensure that those who attempt to buck the system are caught and dealt with when you're in a position to do so, then in turn hopefully other people in society will be vigilant to the same thing. We can't just delegate all our responsibilities to policemen and magistrates, and expect them to keep the peace all on their own; it's everyone's responsibility to do it. If everyone shirked their duty to uphold society, this would be a terrible place. And you can't expect others to do it if you're not willing to do it yourself.

As to calling a fraud hotline, who do the Benefits Agency think we are?

They think we're 6 billion people who are more likely to notice fraud between us than, say, the mere 126430 employees of the Department for Work and Pensions. And hopefully, they think we're people that care enough about the society we live in to do what we can to uphold it.


Or the short version:

It's wrong, and it needs to stop. Do you really consider yourself the kind of person who sees something wrong, has the power to right it, and does nothing?

*Except that, as noted, they haven't broken any rules. If you have proof/suspicions of tax evasion, I'd encourage you to report that just as strongly as proof/suspicions of benefit fraud.

qetu1357

dtsazza wrote: »

Ironically I think this post is a strong example of why they should be reported.

As with many others, I don't see how this is even a question. It's taking money that one is not entitled to by deception; it's fraud, committed against the state and thus all of us by proxy.

And the worst thing about this, in one respect, isn't simply a money issue. We live together in a society that is held together by common respect for rules and customs, for the greater good (though by definition some of these will impinge on purely selfish benefit). If a notable number of cases emerge whereby someone can ignore a law they don't like in order to get a personal gain, without any ramifications - well, that's going to do two things:

1. Inspire other people to follow that exact example, because it's proven to be a risk free gain;
2. Elict retaliatory tactics from those being disadvantaged (everyone in society, in this case) - be that as simple as "well, I'd have got a larger pension if the coffers hadn't been depleted by false benefit claims, so it's only fair that I lie on my pension form in order to get back the money I'm rightfully owed." Or as direct as "since (s)he injustly receives £2,000 from the taxpayers every year, as a taxpayer I'm going to go and take their TV to make up for it."

Your post is a good example of this sort of mentality - you're implying that because some people have broken the rules* for personal gain, it's somehow more OK for others to do the same! I find that insupportable personally, but regardless it's clear that this leads to a slippery slope where everyone is breaking every law and pointing at everyone else for justification.

So this needs to be stamped out. As another poster said, "what goes around, comes around." In this case, if you ensure that those who attempt to buck the system are caught and dealt with when you're in a position to do so, then in turn hopefully other people in society will be vigilant to the same thing. We can't just delegate all our responsibilities to policemen and magistrates, and expect them to keep the peace all on their own; it's everyone's responsibility to do it. If everyone shirked their duty to uphold society, this would be a terrible place. And you can't expect others to do it if you're not willing to do it yourself.


They think we're 6 billion people who are more likely to notice fraud between us than, say, the mere 126430 employees of the Department for Work and Pensions. And hopefully, they think we're people that care enough about the society we live in to do what we can to uphold it.


Or the short version:

It's wrong, and it needs to stop. Do you really consider yourself the kind of person who sees something wrong, has the power to right it, and does nothing?

*Except that, as noted, they haven't broken any rules. If you have proof/suspicions of tax evasion, I'd encourage you to report that just as strongly as proof/suspicions of benefit fraud.

Good post.

I'm afraid that "We live together in a society that is held together by common respect for rules and customs, for the greater good" is going down the pan rapidly though.

Anyway, OP. Report her. It's a no-brainer for me.