DWP forcing me to repay a debt caused by identity fraud

RAS

Just checking that you know there are three credit reference agencies, not just Experian?

myDWPhell

RAS said:

Just checking that you know there are three credit reference agencies, not just Experian?

Hi,

Thanks for your comment. Yes, I was aware but I guess there would be no harm in checking the others. I went for Experian for a number of reasons including that Experian is the one that the DWP claimed to have used as part of their verification process on the payment of the “advance” fraudulent payment. 

myDWPhell

Having submitted a DWP Subject Access Request (SAR) and received their following standard response:

“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.”

There was a section towards the end of the letter which stated:

“If you disagree with a decision You can ask us to look again.

You, or someone who has the authority to act for you, can write to us at the address on this letter within one month of our reply to ask us to look again at our response.”

SAR submitted 30/04/25 and response received 02/06/25 - late. My letter and email of appeal (request to look again at their response) sent on 11/06/25 - well within the “one month.” In both I requested confirmation of receipt.

By 21/06/25 and having received no confirmation of receipt I once again emailed seeking assurance my appeal (request to look again at their response) had been received. Again, no response. Several emails later from both my myself and my MP still no confirmation of receipt and still no response to my request for them to look again at their response - due process!

DWP - Not fit for purpose!

Uriziel

I did work experience at an DWP office back in the day and I was told there were two offices that had to be shut down because the entire team there was paying benefit money into their own accounts by using a random National Insurance Number.

myDWPhell

Uriziel said:

I did work experience at an DWP office back in the day and I was told there were two offices that had to be shut down because the entire team there was paying benefit money into their own accounts by using a random National Insurance Number.

When it comes to the DWP nothing would surprise - absolutely NOTHING! 

myDWPhell

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

https://www.theguardian.com/money/2020/nov/14/universal-credit-fraud-scam

“None of the people I spoke to could help, except to tell me that I owed this money. I reported the matter to Action Fraud and heard nothing.“

” Following the Guardian’s intervention, Davies was contacted by a member of the DWP’s fraud team, who, she says, told her that the department was dealing with thousands of similar cases.”

“ “I asked which bank account this payment had been made to – as it certainly hadn’t been mine – but the person wouldn’t tell me on the grounds of data protection.”

“ “I was concerned that my national insurance number had been used by the fraudster but she told me that they wouldn’t have needed it to apply for an advance. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.”

“ One (DWP) official said he was concerned that hundreds of millions of pounds had been paid as advance payments, sometimes on the day.”

THE DWP DO NOT CARE - The DWP are treating innocent victims of crime as criminals. 

The worst part of it is, just as in the Post Office Horizon scandal the DWP are aware of the fraudulent claims. They know, but they carry on treating innocent victims as criminals. 

DWP - Not fit for purpose! 

huckster

Just ask them for a list of payment dates as that is not anyone's data and say you will provide Bank Statements covering the relevant dates that will evidence no payments received by you.

Banks can provide statements going back at least 6 years. 

KxMx

I have two current accounts and were I making a false fraud claim I could easily submit statements for account A and say not me getting the payment, when it's going into account B. 

huckster

But you could provide statements for all accounts held. And copy of credit record.

born_again

myDWPhell said:

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

https://www.theguardian.com/money/2020/nov/14/universal-credit-fraud-scam

“None of the people I spoke to could help, except to tell me that I owed this money. I reported the matter to Action Fraud and heard nothing.“

” Following the Guardian’s intervention, Davies was contacted by a member of the DWP’s fraud team, who, she says, told her that the department was dealing with thousands of similar cases.”

“ “I asked which bank account this payment had been made to – as it certainly hadn’t been mine – but the person wouldn’t tell me on the grounds of data protection.”

“ “I was concerned that my national insurance number had been used by the fraudster but she told me that they wouldn’t have needed it to apply for an advance. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.”

“ One (DWP) official said he was concerned that hundreds of millions of pounds had been paid as advance payments, sometimes on the day.”

THE DWP DO NOT CARE - The DWP are treating innocent victims of crime as criminals. 

The worst part of it is, just as in the Post Office Horizon scandal the DWP are aware of the fraudulent claims. They know, but they carry on treating innocent victims as criminals. 

DWP - Not fit for purpose! 

While you do not need a NIN to apply for a advance. You do to set up a UC claim. 🤦‍♀️ You can only claim a advance within your UC claim.