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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to have reported my "friend" for benefit fraud

312 replies

buttercupp · 06/09/2010 13:27

ok so cant go into too much detail for obvious reasons but i have a friend (not know for long but lives near me) and i have been debating for a while now whether to report her or not for living with her partner who is also claiming as living alone.

so today i have done it finally after being fed up of hearing what other electrical applicance they have bought with the stupid amount of money they have been given when my DH is out at work slogging his guts out just to make ends meet.

The reason i havent done it before is like i say she is supposed to be my friend,we have had nights out together and she has a baby so have felt a bit bad in that respect too but i knew i had to do the right thing.
would i be a hypocrite to continue to be her friend or should i avoid her from now on? i do like the girl just dont agree with what she was doing.and anyone know what will happen now i have reported her?

OP posts:
Myleetlepony · 06/09/2010 19:04

Wow, it seems that benefit fraud has somehow become legitimate in the view of many. I'm honestly shocked. Report a crime - "You're a mean and nasty person" etc etc. Bloody amazing.

mumbar · 06/09/2010 19:24

I think benefits are stopped if an investigation is carried out but they are started ASAP with the correct amount iyswim.

eg, (from what I understand) if they are getting £500/wk at the moment and they give their current cicumsatnces and are entitled to £300 then they get the £300 while they investigate whether the extra £200 was claimed fraudulently or an oversight. Once decision is made the money they owe will be recoperated from the £300 they are getting correctly.

Yes its sad the baby may have to go without but benefit fraud is theft so OP YANBU to have reported it.

Friendship ___ - thats the line I think you'll have to draw under that one Wink

giveitago · 06/09/2010 20:25

You are not her friend so I'd avoid that lady from now on.

xstitch · 06/09/2010 20:55

I can't believe the grief the OP is getting. The "friend" was committing a crime. Its people like that who are partially responsible for benefits being cut for people who are claiming legitimately.

alwaysleftout · 06/09/2010 22:28

Well done OP.

If everyone reported benefit fraud the government could afford to raise benefits for genuine benefit claimants.

MoreSpamThanGlam · 06/09/2010 22:37

I dont think shopping the person is a problem. The "friend" has done wrong.

But her calling herself a friend? That is awful....

It smells like 1984 - neighbours encouraged to grass on neighbours (and so-called friends) who commit crimes against the state and therefore society.

neuroticrobotic · 06/09/2010 22:40

Good! More money for those who actually meet the criteria for state help.

YANBU but you are not her friend, make no mistake about that.

FeedMeSeymour · 06/09/2010 22:51

YANBU. Well done OP. You did the right thing. Benefit fraud is theft.

And I think the emphasis should be that SHE is not your friend. No one would ask a friend to be complicit in dishonesty and lies to obtain money that they aren't entitled to.

xstitch · 06/09/2010 22:58

Well said Seymour.

tittybangbang · 06/09/2010 23:04

Oh well done you.

People on benefits should be living on a subsistence income.

And tough fucking luck to them if they need to buy Christmas presents, go out to the flicks occasionally, or have a couple of hundred quid put aside for if the washing machine breaks down and they need a new one.

Sad
MoreSpamThanGlam · 06/09/2010 23:07

Im really suprised that people that are so concerned about the state money pot have so very little to say about corporate fraud. The amount of corporate fraud could fund so much more than benefit fraud. But then again I suppose the papers dont really go on about that do they?

edam · 06/09/2010 23:08

Wonder if the OP has ever gone over the speed limit. Or taken a paperclip home from the office stationery cupboard.

clemetteattlee · 06/09/2010 23:12

It's a ridiuclous assertion that benefits would go up if fraud was eliminated. As MoreSpam says, if you care about equitable distribution of means then concentrate on the corporations.

Admit it OP, you did it because you were irritated that they had more stuff than you, not because you have some desire to right the wrongs of this world.

xstitch · 06/09/2010 23:12

I don't approve of corporate fraud either. Two wrongs don't make a right and corporate fraud does not excuse benefit fraud. I am not in a position to be aware of corporate fraud to be able to report it although I would applaud any whistleblower.

That argument is the start of slippery slope, why don't we just get rid of every law and let people do whatever they want no matter who they hurt. Hmm

Dione · 06/09/2010 23:21

You reported this woman to for benefit fraud as you were jealous. You are not her friend.

alwaysleftout · 06/09/2010 23:39

Amazing how so many posters on here are condeming the OP for reporting benefit fraud. Makes me think there are a lot of people on this site who are committing benefit fraud themselves!

Tittybangbang. People who need to buy christmas presents and go to the cinema or any night out really, should go to work to earn that right. The british taxpayer already provides people with a free roof over their heads and food in the tummies, why the fuck should they fund your social life too??

I am sure you will retort that there are no jobs available in your area (Seems to be the perfect excuse lately amongst the "I can't be arsed to work to support myself and my kids cos I am better off claiming benefits" scroungers).

Maybe you could stay in a save some of your hand outs for your childrens Xmas presents - the same way working single parents have to.

Nobody in this country NEEDS to commit benefit fraud!

FeedMeSeymour · 06/09/2010 23:40

Yes, we're all very jealous of thieving friends.

So what would you do if your friend called round and asked you to store the loot from her robbing £10K from her office - which is the equivalent? Would you stash it under your DC's bed for your friend?

Dione · 06/09/2010 23:49

No, it is not the equivalent, her friend did not ask her to aide and abet (which is the case in your scenario Seymour).

OP has known for some time that her "friend" is commiting benefit fraud and hasn't done anything. Today she got jealous and did and has asked for opinions on whether she would be a hypocrite for continuing the friendship. Well unless OP is willing to come clean and say what she did and why she did it, she would be a hypocrite.

tittybangbang · 06/09/2010 23:57

"corporate fraud does not excuse benefit fraud"

And they're different aren't they? Corporate fraud is about people who already usually have lots of money stealing more money, so they can buy more designer crap, go on more exotic holidays and salt money away for a retirement spent on the golf course.

Benefit fraud is generally committed by the poorest sector of society by people who want what most of the rest of us have: clothes that don't ALL come from charity shops, a good varied diet containing lots of fruit and vegetables, a decent telly, a trip to the pictures every now and again and the odd drink or meal out - none of which can be afforded by those on income support or those claiming a means tested benefit as they're on a subsistence income.

How very dare they. Hmm

bullet234 · 06/09/2010 23:58

Ok, this is what I don't understand. He is living with her and they are both claiming benefits, so why isn't his address flagged up as being the same as her address?

tittybangbang · 06/09/2010 23:58

"People who need to buy christmas presents and go to the cinema or any night out really, should go to work to earn that right"

And what if they can't get a job?

tethersend · 07/09/2010 00:00
alwaysleftout · 07/09/2010 00:01

Ah now I get it Dionne!

Law abiding citizens who work hard and save hard to provide for themselves and their families should be happy for people to commit benefit fraud. The tax payer should not object to paying for lazy, bloodsucking bastards to have a great quality of life, with the best of everything, including a great social life all paid for by the great british taxpayer, whilst the taxpayer themselves stay at home in the evenings and weekends because they need to save to pay the bills that benefit claimants are exempt from.

If nobody objected to benefit fraud we would all be better off wouldn't we because we would all be doing it. Fuck knows what state this country would be in then??

Benefit fraud is a CRIMINAL OFFENCE end of!

tittybangbang · 07/09/2010 00:04

"why the fuck should they fund your social life too??"

Because there are children growing up in this country who are leading fucking horrible, miserable lives with nothing to look forward to. In the 1940's when my parents were children from very working class families nobody had much and the children played out all day. Today really poor children from families on benefits are excluded from normal life. On of my dd's friends best friends comes from this sort of family, and this child has NOTHING. Her shoes are trodden down, her uniform is scruffy and they get one tiny present each at Christmas. It makes me want to cry. And her mum is so stressed from the fear of something going wrong at home - the washing machine breaking down, an unexpectantly large gas bill, you name it, that she finds it hard to be cheerful with the children.

Living on benefits is a nightmare - unless you're hugely, hugely resourceful, have family who are helping you out, or a ripping the system off a bit.

Dione · 07/09/2010 00:09

No Always, if you have a problem with benefit fraud report it, it is a criminal offence. If you report your friend to the authorities because you are jealous, you are a hypocrite to continue being chummy with her unless you are willing to tell her.