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Original poster

Is this benefit fraud?

262 replies

Gingerangel · 06/12/2022 15:57

Just found out a friend of mine who is about to come into a large sum of money is intending to hide this money in a relatives bank account and not declare it to the DWP and have her relative just give her the cash as and when she asks for it. She’s doing this to hide it from the benefits people…

I was worried about her and told her that I think she might get into trouble doing this however she’s insisting on going ahead with this and thinks the DWP won’t notice anything is amiss. Is this benefit fraud? Can she get into trouble? And has anyone else done something like this and got away with it?

OP posts:
Whydidimarryhim · 06/12/2022 17:31

Gingerangel - it’s not your issue - it’s fraud but she will face the consequences if she is caught.

palygold · 06/12/2022 17:32

The bank itself may report a large deposit going into the brother's account? I did know of somebody this happened to, though it was a few years ago and to the IRS, an American friend of mine. They were able to account for it and obviously weren't claiming government assistance. I think it was money laundering related.

Cornelious · 06/12/2022 17:32

Of course it's fraud. If I was the brother though I'd be worried about having that money in my account- especially if he wanted a mortgage or if there was any reason for anyone to look into his financial affairs (like if he ever needed to claim benefits).

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Benefits
FirstnameSuesecondnamePerb · 06/12/2022 17:35

For a start she needs to stop going around telling people!

paulaparticles · 06/12/2022 17:36

you sound jealous

Ivyblu · 06/12/2022 17:37

@FirstnameSuesecondnamePerb I know right... People shouldn't disclose everything to their so called friends!

RedHelenB · 06/12/2022 17:38

Gingerangel · 06/12/2022 17:03

All the money from the sale of the house is going into her ex husband’s account, he’s then paying half into her brothers account so will be off the records for her.

I don’t know the exact figure (I didn’t want to pry) but it will be a lot, they outright own the house and it’s a house in a good area.

Show quote history

Well it's stupid of her ex husband then, because he can't prove he gave her the money and she could come back for more.

Unicorn1919 · 06/12/2022 17:40

Defintely fraud. If she part owned the house then there will be a record of the sale and her name will be on the records that are submitted to HMRC for the buyers stamp duty. There is a high risk of being caught out.

COPPER3 · 06/12/2022 17:40

Disgusting behaviour! It is FRAUD!
She isn't a struggling single Mum now though is she!

Chickenvoicesinmyhead · 06/12/2022 17:40

Chickenvoicesinmyhead · 06/12/2022 17:23

She's all but dobbed herself in by having a loose tongue.

It is fraud and her brother will need to provide an explanation for the huge deposit into his bank.

It's also money laundering as he'll be converting it to cash to hand over to her.

Taking any papertrail (of which there will be one) out of it, ex knows, brother knows, assuming brothers partner will know plus all their friends and family.

All those people are going to keep tight-lipped? Not a chance. Money and jealousy. What could possibly go wrong ...🤔

Crumpleton · 06/12/2022 17:41

Less chance of the authorities finding out unless she keeps telling people.

But if they do I'd imagine it wouldn't go down well, more so as she's put it into someone else's account so deliberately hiding it.

I was going to add Hopefully her brother isn't as dishonest as her....
Then slapped myself when I realised what I'd wrote...

Featheryboa · 06/12/2022 17:45

Underanothersky · 06/12/2022 17:00

I don't believe any of these threads. It's just a way to get the benifit bashers frothing

Yes I think you're right.

Original poster
Gingerangel · 06/12/2022 17:45

Chickenvoicesinmyhead · 06/12/2022 17:40

Taking any papertrail (of which there will be one) out of it, ex knows, brother knows, assuming brothers partner will know plus all their friends and family.

All those people are going to keep tight-lipped? Not a chance. Money and jealousy. What could possibly go wrong ...🤔

Show quote history

This is what I’m worried about for her. Too many people know. I tried telling her it was risky and that she needs to think of her children, it’s not worth going to prison for. But she was really dismissive of my concerns and told me as long as the money isn’t in her account DWP won’t care about it. I just think she’s being naive and too trusting. Do you think the brother and her ex husband might also get into trouble?

Oh what a mess 🤦‍♀️

OP posts:
lookersnoopy · 06/12/2022 17:47

I think the story has more holes then a sieve tbh.

Crumpleton · 06/12/2022 17:47

Cornelious · 06/12/2022 17:32

Of course it's fraud. If I was the brother though I'd be worried about having that money in my account- especially if he wanted a mortgage or if there was any reason for anyone to look into his financial affairs (like if he ever needed to claim benefits).

Maybe the brother hasn't thought about the consequences of being involved in fraud.
Strange set up.

palygold · 06/12/2022 17:50

"Underanothersky
I don't believe any of these threads. It's just a way to get the benifit bashers frothing

Yes I think you're right."

Possibly, but in that case, aside from a couple of people it hasn't really achieved its aim.

Original poster
Gingerangel · 06/12/2022 17:50

Crumpleton · 06/12/2022 17:47

Maybe the brother hasn't thought about the consequences of being involved in fraud.
Strange set up.

Show quote history

Her brother isn’t the sharpest tool in the shed to be fair … I have always thought that he could have some undiagnosed learning disability, he’s such a nice man though. I don’t think he would steal any of her money. But I don’t think he understands the seriousness of the situation either.

OP posts:
k1233 · 06/12/2022 17:50

I think she's a fool to trust her brother with a significant sum of money. My observations are the trustworthiness of people is inversely related to the sum of money in question. The more money, the less trustworthy.

BringBackCoffeeCreams · 06/12/2022 17:52

Gingerangel · 06/12/2022 17:45

This is what I’m worried about for her. Too many people know. I tried telling her it was risky and that she needs to think of her children, it’s not worth going to prison for. But she was really dismissive of my concerns and told me as long as the money isn’t in her account DWP won’t care about it. I just think she’s being naive and too trusting. Do you think the brother and her ex husband might also get into trouble?

Oh what a mess 🤦‍♀️

Show quote history

Of course the brother and ex are at risk too. They are conspiring with her to commit benefit fraud. They're looking at up to 10 years in jail.

CharityShopChic · 06/12/2022 17:52

Your friend must be pretty thick to think it's not going to be blindingly obvious.

She co-owns a house with her ex. Her name is on the records as co-owner. House is sold, 50% of equity goes to her ex, 50% goes to... her brother. Oh yeah, definitely kosher.

Baileysandcream · 06/12/2022 17:53

Gingerangel · 06/12/2022 17:45

This is what I’m worried about for her. Too many people know. I tried telling her it was risky and that she needs to think of her children, it’s not worth going to prison for. But she was really dismissive of my concerns and told me as long as the money isn’t in her account DWP won’t care about it. I just think she’s being naive and too trusting. Do you think the brother and her ex husband might also get into trouble?

Oh what a mess 🤦‍♀️

Show quote history

She is deliberately intending to commit fraud against the government and the taxpayer. It's not an error or a mistake on her part, she's intentionally created a plan of how to avoid disclosing coming into a "large sum of money" to keep receiving benefits that she may no longer be entitled too And she has enlisted others into that plan.

She is being incredibly naive if she thinks that DWP won't be interested in prosecuting her and yes her brother and ex husband could also get charged.

emilydickinsonscat · 06/12/2022 17:53

It's possible, but the fact it's a huge amount of money, involves the sale of a property, she's told a lot of people and her brother who's holding the money sounds very vulnerable, I wonder how many people he's told!

All the above makes me feel she's better off buying a car or putting the money into an asset the DWP will allow and her brother isn't in control of sounds much more sensible.
She may end up losing all that money if she's not very careful and the DWP is the least of her worries!

Winter2020 · 06/12/2022 17:55

@Ivyblu
"Perhaps her brother is loyal"
....he would have to be to be willing to risk a criminal conviction and prison for something of no business of his. Divorce for the ex partner.

(At least) 3 people now in line for charges of fraud and potentially imprisonment for simple greed.

I also hope the solicitor would refuse to release the money of a joint house except either 50:50 to the couple or to a joint account. They need to cover themselves if the wife turned up saying "what house sale monies?". If the solicitor were found to conspire with the whole thing that would be another person liable to prosecution/imprisonment and losing their livelihood. Solicitor won't mess about. I don't think this will even get off the ground in the first place.

I think your friend might be able to use the money to buy a new property without penalty and that is worth looking into and speaking to universal credit about.

www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2013/376/schedule/10

Is this benefit fraud?
Is this benefit fraud?
Crumpleton · 06/12/2022 17:55

Gingerangel · 06/12/2022 17:50

Her brother isn’t the sharpest tool in the shed to be fair … I have always thought that he could have some undiagnosed learning disability, he’s such a nice man though. I don’t think he would steal any of her money. But I don’t think he understands the seriousness of the situation either.

Show quote history

If that's the case you should be more concerned for him.
Being dragged into something that he has no real understanding of how it may affect him if they do get caught is just so wrong.

Winter2020 · 06/12/2022 17:55
  • ditto not "divorce" for the ex partner Sorry
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