DWP forcing me to repay a debt caused by identity fraud

myDWPhell

Blancmang25 said:

myDWPhell said:

It can only be the DWP when you submit a Subject Access Request (SAR) and you see this as progress!

In an earlier SAR, requesting “all information regarding UC claims made in MY NAME.” Previous responses from the DWP have read as follows:

“You sent us a 'Right of Access' request asking us to send you [a copy of all information regarding regarding Universal Credit claims made in your name during the period XX/XX/2X- XX/XX/2X..”

The personal information you requested contains information about another individual.

The Data Protection Act 2018 states that

the following must be taken into account when deciding to disclose this information:

• the type of information which would be disclosed
• a duty of confidentiality to the other individual

In these circumstances a decision has been made, in line with legislation not to disclose third party information.

But hang on a minute DWP, how can you claim that on the one hand, “I” submitted the claim and that “I” am responsible for the repayment of the advance (negligently paid out by the DWP) but on the other hand claim that you cannot provide me with the information because it contains information about ANOTHER individual!!!

Who is it? Me or another individual? I’ll give you a clue DWP, it’s not me!

“Stop hounding victims of universal credit fraud, DWP told” - The Guardian 10/12/20

They were given that advice back in 2020. Someone isn’t listening!

DWP - Not fit for Purpose!

I have tried to explain to you that you will not get the information from the DWP by requesting a SAR/S. They have provided you with the correct information, as displayed on this post.
I'm not in a position to state my previous occupation but I would have sent you the same as what you have received as it complies with GDPR.
As I have said previously you are in a catch 22, as you have your identity and some one else has your identity but registered at a different address.
Do you have any idea of the address/area of where they fraudster may be?
Have you had a date for the Tribunal?

Hi Blancmang25,

In addition, the point of my post is twofold. Firstly, I genuinely welcome people’s input and advice. I quite literally actioned someone’s advice today - it may have been yours. I’ve submitted a photograph of my passport to the Tribunal today. It was pointed out to me that although the DWP do not retain copies of passports etc due to GDPR requirements they do record reference numbers, passport numbers etc. That was something I hadn’t considered and it was very welcome advice. However, my intention is also to draw attention to the unconscionable way in which the DWP have been treating people in my position. If I have to resort to the odd sensationalist post, then so be it. If it grabs someone’s attention then so be it. If it shines a light on what the DWP are doing to people, and continue to do to people then so be it. The DWPs treatment of me throughout this process has nothing but deplorable. Perhaps if they’d provided me with a copy of the “written explanation” at the very least l might not feel so negative about their SAR response. The “written explanation” was an entitlement as laid down in the DWPs DR letter. In denying to provide me a copy of the written explanation they put me in an impossible situation. How could I defend myself and challenge/refute their allegations during their “Mandatory Reconsideration” process if I knew ABSOLUTELY NOTHING about the details of their allegations. The only information/details of their allegations that the DWP provided me with was the dates of two of the claims!!! Despite my request for the written explanation (the day after receiving the DR letter*), my repeated phone calls and emails the DWP provided me with nothing, no details or their allegations whatsoever. You try providing “information that they may have overlooked” without knowing the nature of their allegations. And when did they finally provide these details - as an appendix to their MRN, the final level of their internal appeals process. Despite repeated cases and repeated warnings they have continued to do this to innocents victims. The DWP team innocent victims of fraud as criminals. 

*The request for the “written explanation” had to be made within 30 days of the date of the DR letter. 

DWP - Not fit for purpose! 

myDWPhell

In a letter to my MP regarding the “advance payment”, the DWP stated:

“On XX Xxxxxxxxx 202X, an advance of £XXX.xx was requested and approved.

The advance was paid into an account belonging to Mr X XXXXX (me).

Knowing this to be completely false, baseless and simply not true. I submitted an SAR on XX/07/25. My SAR read as follows: 

“Regarding a Universal Credit claim made in my name on XX Xxxxxxxxx 202X and a new claim advance of £XXX.xx approved on XX Xxxxxxxxx 202X and paid on XX Xxxxxxxxx XX 202X. I request the following information regarding the bank account the advance was paid into: Name of bank, Account holders name, Sort code, Account number.”

I received a response from the DWPs Right of Access team dated XX/07/25 stating:

“Your request has been forwarded to the relevant Business Unit within DWP to action, they will send the information directly to you.“

It’s now 18/09/25, almost two months later and still no reply from the “relevant Business Unit with the DWP” - absolutely NOTHING!

DWP - Not fit for purpose!

born_again

myDWPhell said:

In a letter to my MP regarding the “advance payment”, the DWP stated:

“On XX Xxxxxxxxx 202X, an advance of £XXX.xx was requested and approved.

The advance was paid into an account belonging to Mr X XXXXX (me).

Knowing this to be completely false, baseless and simply not true. I submitted an SAR on XX/07/25. My SAR read as follows: 

“Regarding a Universal Credit claim made in my name on XX Xxxxxxxxx 202X and a new claim advance of £XXX.xx approved on XX Xxxxxxxxx 202X and paid on XX Xxxxxxxxx XX 202X. I request the following information regarding the bank account the advance was paid into: Name of bank, Account holders name, Sort code, Account number.”

I received a response from the DWPs Right of Access team dated XX/07/25 stating:

“Your request has been forwarded to the relevant Business Unit within DWP to action, they will send the information directly to you.“

It’s now 18/09/25, almost two months later and still no reply from the “relevant Business Unit with the DWP” - absolutely NOTHING!

DWP - Not fit for purpose!

SAR is not just based on a name, or imagine how many people that would cover if you have a common name. So you need at a bear minimum, full name, full address. Which of course will not have a account matched against it.

It would only be actioned if you gave other account details that allowed them to prove you are the account holder.
I take it that the fraudster must have your National Ins No for DWP to find you from a different address.

YES, I know you are not the person who claimed UC & get how frustrated you are & it was a fraudster that has the funds.
This is part of the issue with GDPR, it protects fraudsters as well as the innocent. 

Hopefully once it gets to the tribunal sense will prevail. 

myDWPhell

born_again said:

myDWPhell said:

In a letter to my MP regarding the “advance payment”, the DWP stated:

“On XX Xxxxxxxxx 202X, an advance of £XXX.xx was requested and approved.

The advance was paid into an account belonging to Mr X XXXXX (me).

Knowing this to be completely false, baseless and simply not true. I submitted an SAR on XX/07/25. My SAR read as follows: 

“Regarding a Universal Credit claim made in my name on XX Xxxxxxxxx 202X and a new claim advance of £XXX.xx approved on XX Xxxxxxxxx 202X and paid on XX Xxxxxxxxx XX 202X. I request the following information regarding the bank account the advance was paid into: Name of bank, Account holders name, Sort code, Account number.”

I received a response from the DWPs Right of Access team dated XX/07/25 stating:

“Your request has been forwarded to the relevant Business Unit within DWP to action, they will send the information directly to you.“

It’s now 18/09/25, almost two months later and still no reply from the “relevant Business Unit with the DWP” - absolutely NOTHING!

DWP - Not fit for purpose!

SAR is not just based on a name, or imagine how many people that would cover if you have a common name. So you need at a bear minimum, full name, full address. Which of course will not have a account matched against it.

It would only be actioned if you gave other account details that allowed them to prove you are the account holder.
I take it that the fraudster must have your National Ins No for DWP to find you from a different address.

YES, I know you are not the person who claimed UC & get how frustrated you are & it was a fraudster that has the funds.
This is part of the issue with GDPR, it protects fraudsters as well as the innocent. 

Hopefully once it gets to the tribunal sense will prevail. 

Yes, as far as I’m aware the fraudulent claimant used my National Insurance number. 

Thankfully, I have an incredibly rare surname. There are only a very small number of us in the UK. I’d go as far as saying that I’m more than likely the only person in the country with the combination of my first middle and last name. I guess at the very least a response from the “relevant business unit” stating what you’ve laid down above would be a start! 

Blancmang25

myDWPhell said:

born_again said:

myDWPhell said:

In a letter to my MP regarding the “advance payment”, the DWP stated:

“On XX Xxxxxxxxx 202X, an advance of £XXX.xx was requested and approved.

The advance was paid into an account belonging to Mr X XXXXX (me).

Knowing this to be completely false, baseless and simply not true. I submitted an SAR on XX/07/25. My SAR read as follows: 

“Regarding a Universal Credit claim made in my name on XX Xxxxxxxxx 202X and a new claim advance of £XXX.xx approved on XX Xxxxxxxxx 202X and paid on XX Xxxxxxxxx XX 202X. I request the following information regarding the bank account the advance was paid into: Name of bank, Account holders name, Sort code, Account number.”

I received a response from the DWPs Right of Access team dated XX/07/25 stating:

“Your request has been forwarded to the relevant Business Unit within DWP to action, they will send the information directly to you.“

It’s now 18/09/25, almost two months later and still no reply from the “relevant Business Unit with the DWP” - absolutely NOTHING!

DWP - Not fit for purpose!

SAR is not just based on a name, or imagine how many people that would cover if you have a common name. So you need at a bear minimum, full name, full address. Which of course will not have a account matched against it.

It would only be actioned if you gave other account details that allowed them to prove you are the account holder.
I take it that the fraudster must have your National Ins No for DWP to find you from a different address.

YES, I know you are not the person who claimed UC & get how frustrated you are & it was a fraudster that has the funds.
This is part of the issue with GDPR, it protects fraudsters as well as the innocent. 

Hopefully once it gets to the tribunal sense will prevail. 

Yes, as far as I’m aware the fraudulent claimant used my National Insurance number. 

Thankfully, I have an incredibly rare surname. There are only a very small number of us in the UK. I’d go as far as saying that I’m more than likely the only person in the country with the combination of my first middle and last name. I guess at the very least a response from the “relevant business unit” stating what you’ve laid down above would be a start! 

Hi,

I am going to try to help in a different way.

Have you actually made a fraud referral to the DWP?

If not the link is below:

However, please do not take this the wrong way, you are going to have to be very straight forward with details and stick to the facts.

They will not want everything you have sent to the DWP( all the emails and SARs requests).

If you do want to make a fraud referral the link explains what to do. 

Keep it simple, ie: you know some one has stolen your identity and is now using your details to make false Universal Credit claims. You know that one payment has been made on one of these false UC claims.

Explain that this has been confirmed as you are paying back an overpayment of UC which was never paid to you.

It is entirely up to you if you leave your contact details.

Once/if you make the referral that is it. You do not have to contact them(they won't give you any information). If you have left your details they may contact you. 

https://www.gov.uk/report-benefit-fraud

myDWPhell

Blancmang25 said:

myDWPhell said:

born_again said:

myDWPhell said:

In a letter to my MP regarding the “advance payment”, the DWP stated:

“On XX Xxxxxxxxx 202X, an advance of £XXX.xx was requested and approved.

The advance was paid into an account belonging to Mr X XXXXX (me).

Knowing this to be completely false, baseless and simply not true. I submitted an SAR on XX/07/25. My SAR read as follows: 

“Regarding a Universal Credit claim made in my name on XX Xxxxxxxxx 202X and a new claim advance of £XXX.xx approved on XX Xxxxxxxxx 202X and paid on XX Xxxxxxxxx XX 202X. I request the following information regarding the bank account the advance was paid into: Name of bank, Account holders name, Sort code, Account number.”

I received a response from the DWPs Right of Access team dated XX/07/25 stating:

“Your request has been forwarded to the relevant Business Unit within DWP to action, they will send the information directly to you.“

It’s now 18/09/25, almost two months later and still no reply from the “relevant Business Unit with the DWP” - absolutely NOTHING!

DWP - Not fit for purpose!

SAR is not just based on a name, or imagine how many people that would cover if you have a common name. So you need at a bear minimum, full name, full address. Which of course will not have a account matched against it.

It would only be actioned if you gave other account details that allowed them to prove you are the account holder.
I take it that the fraudster must have your National Ins No for DWP to find you from a different address.

YES, I know you are not the person who claimed UC & get how frustrated you are & it was a fraudster that has the funds.
This is part of the issue with GDPR, it protects fraudsters as well as the innocent. 

Hopefully once it gets to the tribunal sense will prevail. 

Yes, as far as I’m aware the fraudulent claimant used my National Insurance number. 

Thankfully, I have an incredibly rare surname. There are only a very small number of us in the UK. I’d go as far as saying that I’m more than likely the only person in the country with the combination of my first middle and last name. I guess at the very least a response from the “relevant business unit” stating what you’ve laid down above would be a start! 

Hi,

I am going to try to help in a different way.

Have you actually made a fraud referral to the DWP?

If not the link is below:

However, please do not take this the wrong way, you are going to have to be very straight forward with details and stick to the facts.

They will not want everything you have sent to the DWP( all the emails and SARs requests).

If you do want to make a fraud referral the link explains what to do. 

Keep it simple, ie: you know some one has stolen your identity and is now using your details to make false Universal Credit claims. You know that one payment has been made on one of these false UC claims.

Explain that this has been confirmed as you are paying back an overpayment of UC which was never paid to you.

It is entirely up to you if you leave your contact details.

Once/if you make the referral that is it. You do not have to contact them(they won't give you any information). If you have left your details they may contact you. 

https://www.gov.uk/report-benefit-fraud

When you referenced the fraud inquiry in your earlier response I presumed that you were referring to the initial internal fraud investigation that took place following my reporting of fraud when I first discovered the issue. On discovering the DEA I immediately contacted the DWP and reported that my identity had been hijacked and used to submit a fraudulent UC claim in my name. Or in their words:

“UC received a Hijacked Identity Team Referral on your behalf.”

This is what I presumed the fraud investigation was. 

In a latter statement they stated (past tense):

“An agent from the specialist team spoke with Mr XXXXX to complete an information gather*, beginning our enquiry process. These details were shared with colleagues in the Counter Fraud and Compliance Department, who conducted a detailed interrogation of the available information on DWP systems and that provided by Mr XXXXX.”**

Clearly this is a different “fraud investigation” to the one in your link. I’ll have a look at your link and presumably submit a report. 

Naturally my report will be clear, concise and based on the facts alone. This is a forum, on the forum I can be as verbose as I wish, it’s my platform. 

* The so called “information gather” consisted of the most basic questions imaginable. It gathered nothing of any substance or value.

**”A detailed interrogation of the available information on DWP systems” - so detailed that it failed to mention any of the red flags that I uncovered, not to mention the mysteriously unreferenced third attempted claim.” - A child could have done better. 

But thanks, as I said, I have a look at the link and no doubt submit it. 

Odd that the DWP didn’t suggest this. 

myDWPhell

Blancmang25 said:

myDWPhell said:

born_again said:

myDWPhell said:

In a letter to my MP regarding the “advance payment”, the DWP stated:

“On XX Xxxxxxxxx 202X, an advance of £XXX.xx was requested and approved.

The advance was paid into an account belonging to Mr X XXXXX (me).

Knowing this to be completely false, baseless and simply not true. I submitted an SAR on XX/07/25. My SAR read as follows: 

“Regarding a Universal Credit claim made in my name on XX Xxxxxxxxx 202X and a new claim advance of £XXX.xx approved on XX Xxxxxxxxx 202X and paid on XX Xxxxxxxxx XX 202X. I request the following information regarding the bank account the advance was paid into: Name of bank, Account holders name, Sort code, Account number.”

I received a response from the DWPs Right of Access team dated XX/07/25 stating:

“Your request has been forwarded to the relevant Business Unit within DWP to action, they will send the information directly to you.“

It’s now 18/09/25, almost two months later and still no reply from the “relevant Business Unit with the DWP” - absolutely NOTHING!

DWP - Not fit for purpose!

SAR is not just based on a name, or imagine how many people that would cover if you have a common name. So you need at a bear minimum, full name, full address. Which of course will not have a account matched against it.

It would only be actioned if you gave other account details that allowed them to prove you are the account holder.
I take it that the fraudster must have your National Ins No for DWP to find you from a different address.

YES, I know you are not the person who claimed UC & get how frustrated you are & it was a fraudster that has the funds.
This is part of the issue with GDPR, it protects fraudsters as well as the innocent. 

Hopefully once it gets to the tribunal sense will prevail. 

Yes, as far as I’m aware the fraudulent claimant used my National Insurance number. 

Thankfully, I have an incredibly rare surname. There are only a very small number of us in the UK. I’d go as far as saying that I’m more than likely the only person in the country with the combination of my first middle and last name. I guess at the very least a response from the “relevant business unit” stating what you’ve laid down above would be a start! 

Hi,

I am going to try to help in a different way.

Have you actually made a fraud referral to the DWP?

If not the link is below:

However, please do not take this the wrong way, you are going to have to be very straight forward with details and stick to the facts.

They will not want everything you have sent to the DWP( all the emails and SARs requests).

If you do want to make a fraud referral the link explains what to do. 

Keep it simple, ie: you know some one has stolen your identity and is now using your details to make false Universal Credit claims. You know that one payment has been made on one of these false UC claims.

Explain that this has been confirmed as you are paying back an overpayment of UC which was never paid to you.

It is entirely up to you if you leave your contact details.

Once/if you make the referral that is it. You do not have to contact them(they won't give you any information). If you have left your details they may contact you. 

https://www.gov.uk/report-benefit-fraud

I’ve just clicked on the report-benefit-fraud link that you sent. Unfortunately, as I know absolutely nothing about the individual who hijacked my identity I can’t progress past the first page. 

sammyjammy

I really feel for you and hope you get this sorted eventually.  Retrieving the advanced payment from you but redacting all the info because it doesn't relate to you is pure madness, either they think its you or they don't!

myDWPhell

sammyjammy said:

I really feel for you and hope you get this sorted eventually.  Retrieving the advanced payment from you but redacting all the info because it doesn't relate to you is pure madness, either they think it’s you or they don't!

Tell me about it, it’s absolute madness. I’ve spoken to other people in this situation, it’s not just the financial burden. The prolonged and absurd nature of this process takes a real toll on your mental health. For me this has now gone on for 11 months and it’s still not resolved. Someone on Reddit summed it up perfectly:

“This isn't my !!!!!! up, it is theirs, and I shouldn't have to spend my limited time sorting out their mess, so what am I feasibly expected to do?”

The DWP treat the victims as if they were the criminals. They just don’t care. 

myDWPhell

It’s not just me. This must be happening to thousands of people. 

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/34829997/fraudsters-stole-identity-universal-credit/

They just don’t care!

The worst part is, just as in the Post Office Horizon scandal the DWP knows there’s an issue. They have been told and warned but they continue to treat innocent victims of fraud as criminals. 

DWP - Not fit for purpose!