BBC - Benefit staff to use lie detectors

vickyj

It is not like claimants are gonna be hooked up to a polygraph though thy are talking about voic analasys software.
Correct me if i am wrong but from how i understand it they intend to use it to give them an indicator of possible fraud and if suspicion is aroused then they investigate futher.
as said before this may well save those honest claimants a very intimidating interview or two.

emmaroids

its true that if you have not cheated then you shouldent worry about it, and lets face it there are plenty of cheats who need knocking down a peg or 2.

peter999

Yes, Lie Detectors should be made freely available in supermarkets & introduced everywhere. :rolleyes:

MPs, Government Ministers, the Prime Minister should be tested first. :rotfl:

See following posts:
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?p=4806995#post4806995
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?p=4808480#post4808480
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?p=4808588#post4808588

peter999

liney

Blooming brilliant idea.

Perhaps it will put people off making fraudulent claims in the first place, as well as catching those out who are.

azjh77

I have one of those guilty faces, anyone else ever been walking around a shop, put their hand in their pockets to check their money/get a tissue and think 'OMG they'll think I've just put something in my pocket' then make over the top gestures to show you AREN'T stealing, and just drawl more attention to yourself? Just me eh? ok.....(goes and hides in a corner)

iceicebaby

If it stops benefit fraud then its worth a try

wakandem

Can't remember the exact figures but benefit fraud costs the government just under 3 billion pounds a year and corporate tax evasion is running at about 18 billion pounds a year & although benefit fraud winds me up , tax evasion by big companies & individuals makes me livid

msmicawber

I don't like this at all. I'm so glad I have managed to get myself to a situation where I don't have to claim HB any more as it was so very stressful. If I had to take a lie detector when dealing with the benefits staff, I'd probably fail as I'd be so worked up, not because I'm trying to defraud. I don't think I'm alone. I found that certain benefits staff start from the premise that all claimants are trying to fiddle the system and that, in itself, is stressful, not to mention demeaning and insulting.

It concerns me greatly the number of occasions when we're all expected to accept intrusions in our lives with a glib 'if you're not doing anything wrong, then it won't affect you'. I really wonder what the true scale of these frauds are, and how many people included in those figures have merely been assessed by Liberata or other under-trained staff.

cifpower

wakandem wrote: »

Can't remember the exact figures but benefit fraud costs the government just under 3 billion pounds a year and corporate tax evasion is running at about 18 billion pounds a year & although benefit fraud winds me up , tax evasion by big companies & individuals makes me livid

Benefit fraud costs £700m a year. I wonder how much this software costs for every council and JBO?

Morglin

Well, whatever it costs, if it's like the rest of it's computer system, it won't be long before it doesn't work.

This will not save a penny - those used to defrauding have the answers off pat, and those that get nervous anyway will be targeted.

And, those that are really clever will get professionals, such as the CAB, to deal with it all for them.

Lin