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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:
Baileysandcream · 06/12/2022 18:16

OldFan · 06/12/2022 18:09

You have to supply bank statements randomly that show it

Some do occasionally but it's actually quite rare. I've been asked for the last three months' statements randomly once in twenty years. And it's only three month's worth so she'd be ok if it'd been longer than that.

But if the DWP/police were investigating a suspected fraud case, they can just request copies of bank statements directly from the bank to assist with the investigation. Similar for money laundering.

MrsBennetsPoorNerves · 06/12/2022 18:18

carefulcalculator · 06/12/2022 17:29

I no longer know, tbh.

Benefit fraud is tiny compared to tax fraud. The government doesn't give a shit about that.

And look at our corrupt Tory government!

Today I see Lady Mone has asked for a leave of absence - she of the £29 million PPE cash questions.

Is there any shame anymore? Our betters are at it every day, it seems.

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Two wrongs don't make a right.

Defrauding the state because others are doing the same doesn't make it right. Of course there are issues with tax fraud and corruption, but that's no excuse. All are utterly immoral and the perpetrators should be ashamed, regardless of the amount that they have fraudulently obtained.

ThreeFeetTall · 06/12/2022 18:18

Why doesn't she just buy a two bed flat outright?

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Benefits
caringcarer · 06/12/2022 18:19

I hope she gets caught out. I hate cheats and your friend is taking money from DWP meant for those who really need it. She is deliberately having money paid to her brothers account not her own so complicit along with her brother in fraud if she continues to claim benefits and has over £12 stashed away in her brothers account. People like your friend are why genuine claimant's can't be paid more.

Roundandnour · 06/12/2022 18:19

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.

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She’s also putting her brother at risk by telling everyone he will have a large chunk of money.

will be amazing the amount of people to come out and be his friend.

My eldest has a LD. He wanted full control of his money when he turned 18. “Friends” told him I was financially abusing him and he’s an adult. They fleeced him.

Strooyloot · 06/12/2022 18:21

it is against the law and she can be jailed for it. There will be a record of the house sale and that she is a beneficiary. Doesnt matter whose account it is in. also possible consequences for the brother if HMRC find out he has a large sum in his account which he has not been declared.

MrsBennetsPoorNerves · 06/12/2022 18:22

Are you planning to stay friends with her if she goes ahead with this criminal activity?

skyeisthelimit · 06/12/2022 18:26

100% fraud. She should live off the money until it gets to the threshold that she can keep and then she would claim for benefits again.

People like her are disgusting. Why should the government keep her when she has thousands in the bank? It makes a total mockery of the benefits system.

MrsLighthouse · 06/12/2022 18:27

I have to say it pisses me off when people tell me how they’re fiddling their benefits etc or they are claiming as single when they have a partner living with them working cash in hand etc …but l wouldn’t report someone . I try to mind my own business about such stuff and keep my own peace on mind . The truth usually comes out anyway.

DuplicateUserName · 06/12/2022 18:27

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.

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Has it not occurred to you that you should tell him then?

Luckycatt · 06/12/2022 18:27

I would never do that she’s a struggling single parent, but I’m worried someone else she’s told might do… But would DWP actually be able to prosecute her for benefit fraud if there’s never been any money in her account? I mean if they investigate her account they won’t be able to see anything amiss right?

Is this a second home? Because it sounds like tax fraud too. She's presumably not declaring any capital gains tax.

It's a really stupid idea. It doesn't have to be paid in her bank account for HMRC to know. The title deeds of the house changing will spell it all out.

Lovelysausagedogscrumpy · 06/12/2022 18:29

Gingerangel · 06/12/2022 16:18

Well I don’t know if there will be any paper trail. Her ex husband is selling a house they both own, and he is paying half the amount made from the sale into her brothers bank account. It’s a large sum of money.

Does anyone know if she would get into trouble if DWP found out? Is she breaking the law if it’s never actually been in her account. I know people can get into lots of trouble with benefits fraud like prison even. She has 2 children so this would be a terrible outcome. She’s my best friend but she has stupidly told a few other people 🙄… She is very trusting

If it’s from a house sale then it’s a large amount of money. I would have thought that with the amount of hassle that will come with keeping the money secret, it would be easier to disclose to DWP. If she’s told other people then she’s opened herself up to being reported too and if DWP investigate whoever stashes the money for her could get into trouble.

The ways in which fraudsters can be found out are many and varied and DWP are getting more and more sophisticated in fraud prevention and are in the process of rolling out computer systems which can check with banks and other organisations to potentially track spending habits of claimants. I would also have thought that a paper trail from a house sale would be fairly easy for them to track - a simple check with land registry if they received a tip off for example.

And the simple answer is, yes, it’s benefit fraud. She is defrauding the tax payer out of benefit payments that are there to support those genuinely in need. She would do well to pay attention to the funding being poured into DWP and the extra staff being recruited just to trawl through claims o spot fraud. I wouldn’t do it.

oakleaffy · 06/12/2022 18:31

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.

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Well that is going to be hundreds of thousands of pounds!

notapizzaeater · 06/12/2022 18:32

Could she use the amount to buy the council house, if it's for a house purchase it's disregarded for a few months

MotherOfPuffling · 06/12/2022 18:32

Given the long waits for council houses, and the dreadful conditions people can find themselves living in, morally she should use the money to buy outright if at all possible, to free up the council property for someone who actually needs it.

Happyher · 06/12/2022 18:34

It’s blatant fraud (if above a certain amount) and if someone blabs to the DWP in theory they will investigate and she could be prosecuted and made to repay any overpaid benefit. Problem might arise if the relative subsequently needs to claim benefit. Given current circs DWP may not get round to investigating for a while

Sux2buthen · 06/12/2022 18:37

BobbyBobbyBobby · 06/12/2022 16:34

She’s an idiot for telling anyone other than her fellow criminal relative who will be holding the money.

I hope it all goes horribly wrong and her life is ruined.

GrinGrincrikey. Ridiculous

itsjustnotok · 06/12/2022 18:38

@LadyOfTheFliessssss yet it’s ok for others on the breadline without any help whatsoever, to struggle whilst others can take the absolute piss out of the system? I’m fortunate that I don’t need help but there are those out there who get sod all and you have someone who has potentially got proceeds from half a house but it’s ok to commit fraud. It’s this sort of attitude that annoys me.

butterfliedtwo · 06/12/2022 18:42

So she's ready to potentially drop her brother in it. Someone should tell him he's involved in fraud.

She doesn't sound great.

butterfliedtwo · 06/12/2022 18:42

MotherOfPuffling · 06/12/2022 18:32

Given the long waits for council houses, and the dreadful conditions people can find themselves living in, morally she should use the money to buy outright if at all possible, to free up the council property for someone who actually needs it.

Also this.

Feelallright · 06/12/2022 18:44

Could she also lose her current house, as well as being prosecuted? I’m not sure of the rules.

LivingOnAnIsland · 06/12/2022 18:47

QueenConsort · 06/12/2022 15:59

As long as it avoids her account completely be okay, ie she can't have it put in there and then move it out.

Worst advice ever unless you want to actively encourage benefit fraud.

Han99 · 06/12/2022 18:50

Fingers crossed she gets caught then and her benefits can be diverted to someone who is struggling to pay rent, eat and heat their home...

Y7drama · 06/12/2022 18:50

of course it’s fraud what a stupid question. I hope she gets caught.

Blowyourowntrumpet · 06/12/2022 18:53

I used to work for DWP. She can, and will, be prosecuted if it comes to light and it's a large sum of money. She's unlikely to get a prison sentence if it's her first offence, but I've seen it happen. She definitely could end up in prison. Try to talk she sense into her