Benefit Fraud

marisco_2

chelseablue wrote: »

I guess fraud is fraud and should be reported, just the repercussions could be big for the people involved

As soon as they went down this route they would be aware of the risks they were taking. Yet they arrogantly did it anyway. Not the type of people that I would think twice about reporting. Why should their actions be protected? The repercussions could also be big on all the genuine claimants due to those who abuse the system.

jjj1980

I would report without hesitation and actually have done in the past. No one should be receiving any benefit they have no legal rights to. If they are receiving through false or untrue claims information, then they should face the consequences. If found guilty, I believe the sentences should be much harsher, no suspended sentences etc. If a mother is concerned that if found out she could go to prison and risk losing her children, then don't make a false claim!!

Pollycat

clairev36 wrote: »

If you did report it would you do it anonymously?
4 years ago we have the DWP turn up on the doorstep, investigating a claim of benefit fraud on the next door neighbour, we hadn't reported them and had no knowledge about the investigation and they don't tell you the all the details but all the questions were about her partner and whether he was living there or just visiting at times. They have lived here longer than us (17 years) initially we thought they were married with three teenagers but over the years found out that she had been widowed (the children must have been very young)and that the man was a subsequent relationship. We were asked about things like seeing him scraping ice of his car at 7am, there at weekends etc. We ever asked to give a statement which I did although felt very uncomfortable about. We were warned that we would be required to go to court if it got that far but advised that this was unlikely. Then heard nothing for years except seeing the neighbour professionally as she had successful treatment for Breast cancer. Out of the blue hand delivered letter wanted to know my availability for court appearance. It went to crown court, I had to give evidence, without a doubt it was one of the most stressful, awful experiences, I was told by the person from DWP that I would just be asked about the statement, that went out the window immediately and I was given a grilling about the time I'd entered the house, had I been to the bedroom, had I seen male clothing/toiletries, what card had the driven, the registrations, the cards the brought for the birth of my children, what names were in the them. I felt very under prepared and a bit let down by the DWP. The outcome was she was found not guilty but has to repay over 50k of benefit. We are still neighbours but haven't spoken since and I would go out of my way to avoid contact with her. I have to say I'm not sure I'd out myself through something like that again. Despite the fact that I haven't done anything wrong it caused me a huge amount of anxiety and has made living next to them uncomfortable.
I'm sure the new jaguar he brought a few years ago made their lives a bit more comfy though :mad:

Surely if she was found 'not guilty' that would mean that she hadn't been fraudulently claiming benefits so wouldn't have had to pay anything back?

Pollycat

Pollycat wrote: »

In my experience, threads such as these - whether posted on the Benefits board or Discussion Time - generate violent opinions.

And wasn't I bang on with this comment!

DavidF

Pollycat wrote: »

Surely if she was found 'not guilty' that would mean that she hadn't been fraudulently claiming benefits so wouldn't have had to pay anything back?

Not guilty of fraud is not the same as not having received an over-payment of money and having to pay that money back. You can receive cash in error and be liable to pay it back but you still would not have committed any fraud.

Pollycat

DavidF wrote: »

Not guilty of fraud is not the same as not having received an over-payment of money and having to pay that money back. You can receive cash in error and be liable to pay it back but you still would not have committed any fraud.

Can you give an example of 'receiving cash in error'.

Thanks

onomatopoeia99

Mojisola wrote: »

The amount of money they have stolen over the years is likely to result in a prison sentence for the woman - is what they are doing really worth that?

It is absolutely worth that.

fairy_lights

onomatopoeia99 wrote: »

It is absolutely worth that.

I don't think it is - if the woman goes to prison that's another expense for the taxpayer.
And if she did go to prison what would happen to the kids? I don't think it's worth tearing a family apart for.

chelseablue

fairy_lights wrote: »

I don't think it is - if the woman goes to prison that's another expense for the taxpayer.
And if she did go to prison what would happen to the kids? I don't think it's worth tearing a family apart for.

Interesting point - but the alternative is they just keep getting money there not entitled too

Mojisola

Mojisola wrote: »

I'm not saying don't report them - I'm saying that they probably won't think having all that extra 'free' money through fraud was worth it when she ends up in prison.

onomatopoeia99 wrote: »

It is absolutely worth that.

Really? Would you think it was worth having extra money for three or four years while you're sitting in a prison cell?