Benefit Fraud

reece251

Hi Forum,

I have received a couple of letters lately that after opening I did not discover that they were not for me.

One of the letters was addressed to my neighbour but with my address on it and was a payslip.

The next letter was a benefits claim form asking for proof of payslips and proof of address in general.

I'm slightly worried that something sinister is going on here and as I am only 21 I have not experienced anything like this before.

What are your thoughts? Should this be reported? if so then who to?

Alter_ego

If the letters are not for you, return them to sender marked Not known at this address

Darksparkle

Why did you open it if not addressed to you?

Return to sender so they can update their records.

redrosierosie

You can legally open any letter that has your address on it. I had a similar issue with a neighbour, they were trying to make out that one of them lived at my address and pretend one was working for the other so they could provide a reference for work. They lived together as a couple. I didn't get on with them so I called the person who had wrote to my address and explained the situation. People could claim for allsorts using your address if you weren't allowed to open it! You could put 'not known at this address' on the envelope and return it or personally I would call the people who wrote the letter to inform them they have the wrong address. They may be trying to fraudalently claim more benefits by having another property.

kingfisherblue

reece251 wrote: »

Hi Forum,

I have received a couple of letters lately that after opening I did not discover that they were not for me.

One of the letters was addressed to my neighbour but with my address on it and was a payslip.

The next letter was a benefits claim form asking for proof of payslips and proof of address in general.

I'm slightly worried that something sinister is going on here and as I am only 21 I have not experienced anything like this before.

What are your thoughts? Should this be reported? if so then who to?

It is possible to claim certain benefits when working, and a request for payslips is quite usual in that case. You could either pop them into your neighbour, or return them stating 'Not at this address'.

TELLIT01

I would return them to the benefits office using the reply paid envelope which is normally included. Just write "Not known at this address" and enclose everything you have received.
It's not unknown for an address to be entered on the system incorrectly, but I wouldn't make that assumption in case your neighbour is trying it on.

tomtom256

redrosierosie wrote: »

You can legally open any letter that has your address on it. I had a similar issue with a neighbour, they were trying to make out that one of them lived at my address and pretend one was working for the other so they could provide a reference for work. They lived together as a couple. I didn't get on with them so I called the person who had wrote to my address and explained the situation. People could claim for allsorts using your address if you weren't allowed to open it! You could put 'not known at this address' on the envelope and return it or personally I would call the people who wrote the letter to inform them they have the wrong address. They may be trying to fraudalently claim more benefits by having another property.

I would read the Postal Services Act 2000 if I were you!

84 Interfering with the mail: general

(1)A person commits an offence if, without reasonable excuse, he—

(a)intentionally delays or opens a postal packet in the course of its transmission by post, or

(b)intentionally opens a mail-bag.

(2)Subsections (2) to (5) of section 83 apply to subsection (1) above as they apply to subsection (1) of that section.

(3)A person commits an offence if, intending to act to a person’s detriment and without reasonable excuse, he opens a postal packet which he knows or reasonably suspects has been incorrectly delivered to him.

(4)Subsections (2) and (3) of section 83 (so far as they relate to the opening of postal packets) apply to subsection (3) above as they apply to subsection (1) of that section.

(5)A person who commits an offence under subsection (1) or (3) shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or to both.

Darksparkle

Celifein wrote: »

It wasn't incorrectly delivered to him. It had his address on it and was delivered (correctly) to his address.

The letter was (deliberately or accidentally) incorrectly addressed, which doesn't appear to be covered by the clause you bolded.

The letter would have been delivered to his address but not to him. It would have had his neighbours name on it so he would know it wasn't meant for him.

Tolly_T

The letter would have been delivered to his address but not to him. It would have had his neighbours name on it so he would know it wasn't meant for him.

I live alone and never look at the name or address on a letter before I open it as I assume it is meant for me. I have mistakenly opened post for neighbours in the past, it's easily done.

In this case the letters have already been opened. They shouldn't have been according to the law and reece251 knows this now. Having opened them though, and knowing what they contain, I think he is right to be concerned. I agree with what Celifein said and it's the fact that the wrong address was on post from both the DWP and the employer that makes this look particularly dodgy. Returning to sender seems to be the best option, possibly with a note saying that this is not the only letter that you've received that has been incorrectly addressed for this person.

It's certainly made me think. In the past I would just pass on post to my neighbours but I think in future I'll be tempted to open post if the address is mine. I'd be willing to test the criteria below rather than risk being involved in fraud in some way. In opening the post I wouldn't be intending to act to the person's detriment and I think my reason for doing so would be justified and hopefully considered reasonable.

(3)A person commits an offence if, intending to act to a person’s detriment and without reasonable excuse, he opens a postal packet which he knows or reasonably suspects has been incorrectly delivered to him.

teddysmum

Sometimes , window envelopes show only the address, because of the way the letter has been folded. This has caused me to open my son's mail, in the past.

tboo

I aways check to see who it's address to and the address, sometimes I get letters pushed through for next door - they go back to them

I have lived at this address for 17 years so expect no one else to be using it apart from my family so anything else will be opened up - some years ago the police were writing to my address looking for a chap - I had to ring them to clarify what was happening and they said he gave my address, eh no he doesnt live here so please take it off your data base

I also get every year birthday cards from the same lady for the same girls at my address - I have been up and down my street but no one has heard of them - no return address so can't sent them back, luckily no money in them

The op was correct in opening the letters up - fraud may be at play but sometimes it's just a typo error