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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Reporting historic benefit fraud…

83 replies

Poofet · 05/11/2024 12:21

I lived with my friend, her partner and their small child. I started living with them 15 years ago, and lived there for 9 years. I moved out 6 years ago.

To cut a long story short, my friend and I have fallen out due to some pretty poor behaviour over the years on her part. We have had a very on and off again friendship for years. This morning during an argument, she was sending me abusive text messages, and within one I received this morning she has said, ‘You didn’t pay enough rent when you lived with us, so I had to claim as a single mother to support myself through benefits.’

Obviously, this is absurd. I am now worried that I could be implicated in benefit fraud if I do not report it and it somehow gets discovered, I could be considered to have been part of this. Do the DWP / police even care about historic benefit fraud? Is this something I should be reporting to protect myself?

OP posts:

Whatwillbreaknext · 05/11/2024 12:51

No, I wouldn't. You got nine years of Iiving in her home paying low rent and she has a DC. I do not condone benefit fraud I wouldn't be reporting in your circumstances. Legally you may not suffer from reporting but socially you may suffer from being viewed as the scrounger that put her in this position.

TheSilkWorm · 05/11/2024 12:51

Poofet · 05/11/2024 12:34

See that really worries me. What’s to stop her claiming I was in on it?

Show quote history

It doesn't matter! Not your claim, not your problem

Original poster

Poofet · 05/11/2024 12:50

CovertPiggery · 05/11/2024 12:46

Was she living with a partner, taking your rent and then pretending it was a just her and her child living there?

Personally I would report because I hate thieves.

People are weird about reporting theft on here though 🤷🏼‍♂️

that is what she was doing.

she wasn’t threatening me, she was having a go at me about how she felt I never paid enough rent or bills during the years I lived with her, and that she’d had to do this benefit claim basically as she didn’t have enough money.

OP posts:

taxguru · 05/11/2024 12:49

Block her and forget her. The govt agencies barely ever look into current benefit fraud and tax evasion - they get huge numbers of reports but take action on very few. Unless you were involved in her benefit claims in some way, then there's no way it'll come back to bit you on the bum. She's the one who made the claims and signed the claim forms - any come back is entirely on her. Just as long as you weren't making any joint claims or any of your own claims!

Having said all that, I'd probably report her anyway as I hate BOTH benefit fraudsters and tax evaders and have reported various people for both over the years, despite knowing that there's virtually no chance of my reports being acted upon in any way. It's all just a numbers/statistics game. At least if suspicions are reported, if the number of reports becomes large enough, it may drive governmental action to increase efforts to address the problems on a societal level if not an individual level.

LadyKenya · 05/11/2024 12:47

If you report it, just be safe in the knowledge that it will not have any effect on your person, and that it never would have anyway, as your "friend" is the only one who will potentially be heavily fined, or sent to prison, which will then affect her innocent children. It's your call.

CovertPiggery · 05/11/2024 12:46

Was she living with a partner, taking your rent and then pretending it was a just her and her child living there?

Personally I would report because I hate thieves.

People are weird about reporting theft on here though 🤷🏼‍♂️

Original poster

Poofet · 05/11/2024 12:45

TheShellBeach · 05/11/2024 12:43

You know perfectly well that you haven't been part of a fraud.

You just want to be spiteful to your friend.

Show quote history

i know I haven’t been part of the fraud but the police or benefit office don’t know that!!

OP posts:

Snorlaxo · 05/11/2024 12:45

Only the person who signed the declaration each year is liable (her) .

She is foolish using it as a threat when she’s the only one who would get into trouble if DWP found out.

TheShellBeach · 05/11/2024 12:43

Poofet · 05/11/2024 12:40

Ok. That’s good to know. I’ve never committed a crime in my life or knowingly been a participant in one so it really worried me that I may have unknowingly been part of a fraud for 9 years.

Show quote history

You know perfectly well that you haven't been part of a fraud.

You just want to be spiteful to your friend.

MatildaTheCat · 05/11/2024 12:42

This is mad. She doesn’t have any evidence that you were ‘in on it’. Reporting her now would be spiteful.

Write something along the lines of, ‘I think it’s better if we cease contact now, this isn’t helping either of us.’ Then block her number.

It does all sound very odd and school playground. Move along.

ChardonnaysBeastlyCat · 05/11/2024 12:42

If you have evidence you have been paying her, then you should be ok.

You couldn’t have known she was committing fraud if she didn’t tell you at the time.

MumOfOneAllAlone · 05/11/2024 12:42

You wouldn't be implicated op, as you just rented a room. Landlords are always to blame for these things.

She would be in very big trouble, as benefit fraud is taken so seriously. I would think it would be cruel to take revenge in such a way, against her.

(Not that you've said you will. But if it crosses your mind, her kids could lose their mum to prison.)

Original poster

Poofet · 05/11/2024 12:41

LadyKenya · 05/11/2024 12:40

Well she is hardly likely to do anything to cause herself trouble, so what are you worried about? Just forget it.

It’s the fact she’s telling me and whether her ex knows and whoever else she may have told, if they report it or the DWP gets wind, can I be accused of being involved in it.

OP posts:

Scottishskifun · 05/11/2024 12:40

Poofet · 05/11/2024 12:35

Couldn’t she claim that the household (ie me and her partner, he’s now her ex) were in on the whole thing in order to get reduced rents and live cheaper?

Show quote history

It would be a pretty far stretch and even further to be able to prove it!

Her name on the paperwork, her claim etc.
Would block and move on!

Original poster

Poofet · 05/11/2024 12:40

Edenmum2 · 05/11/2024 12:39

Couldn’t she claim that the household (ie me and her partner, he’s now her ex) were in on the whole thing in order to get reduced rents and live cheaper?

No, zero proof and they won't be interested. It'll only be her who gets into trouble as she is the claimant.

Ok. That’s good to know. I’ve never committed a crime in my life or knowingly been a participant in one so it really worried me that I may have unknowingly been part of a fraud for 9 years.

OP posts:

November2024WL · 05/11/2024 12:40

You are cloaking your vindictive nature in an embellished scenario.

Block your friend.

Try to be a less snide person in the future.

LadyKenya · 05/11/2024 12:40

Well she is hardly likely to do anything to cause herself trouble, so what are you worried about? Just forget it.

Edenmum2 · 05/11/2024 12:39

Couldn’t she claim that the household (ie me and her partner, he’s now her ex) were in on the whole thing in order to get reduced rents and live cheaper?

No, zero proof and they won't be interested. It'll only be her who gets into trouble as she is the claimant.

MartinCrieffsLemon · 05/11/2024 12:38

You just sound spiteful.

She can claim you were in on it but there's no proof and the only one who made the claim was her

Original poster

Poofet · 05/11/2024 12:37

LadyKenya · 05/11/2024 12:36

What proof does she have that you lived there. Do you have any yourself?

I have bank transfers showing money going into her account every month with the reference ‘rent - insert month here’.

OP posts:

Outtherelookingin · 05/11/2024 12:36

Current serious benefit fraud barely ever gets investigated, you're being a drama llama to even think this would be looked into. Sounds like you want to report it to be spiteful, just leave it.

LadyKenya · 05/11/2024 12:36

What proof does she have that you lived there. Do you have any yourself?

Original poster

Poofet · 05/11/2024 12:35

Edenmum2 · 05/11/2024 12:34

What would you be in trouble for? It's her who's making the claim, you didn't benefit from anything.

Show quote history

Couldn’t she claim that the household (ie me and her partner, he’s now her ex) were in on the whole thing in order to get reduced rents and live cheaper?

OP posts:

Edenmum2 · 05/11/2024 12:34

Poofet · 05/11/2024 12:32

If she’s telling me then I’m worried who else she may have told and I’m concerned if it does get reported or found out, I could end up being implicated as being party to it.

What would you be in trouble for? It's her who's making the claim, you didn't benefit from anything.

Original poster

Poofet · 05/11/2024 12:34

Agix · 05/11/2024 12:33

You won't be implicated either way. It's not your fault.

If you want to get her into massive trouble you can report her. There's a dedicated benefit fraud hotline you can Google. They do care about historical fraudulent claims, getting back the money fills their coffers just that little bit more.

She could owe thousands.

See that really worries me. What’s to stop her claiming I was in on it?

OP posts:

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