Sister committing benefit fraud

[Namechange1987]

I'll start by saying I work in benefits - the fraud department. My job is to investigate people like my sister. She has been on benefits for 2 years since her DD was born, she has worked on and off - she never admitted this to me but I know through several other people she's been doing cash in hand work. (Never told benefits before of course though)

Anyway - 4 months ago she moved her new partner in, he works full time earning around 26k, she is refusing to tell benefit organisations and is continuing to get full rent, majority of council tax, income support ect.

I have constantly said to her 'you have until 1st august' ect to tell them, she hasn't and says she won't as 'why shouldn't I get benefits I don't go to work' no, she has never paid tax but she is 'entitled to do this'

Would I be unreasonable to write in to benefits pretending to be her and letting them no he has moved in? I really don't want to report her for fraud as it may look like I've helped her to do this..

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I can't stand her booking holidays, buying a new car ect with money supposed to help people who genuinely need it. It makes me sick.

AIBU? Should I just keep my nose out of it?

[juneau]

OP I would call your manager now. What if your sister comes clean between now and Mon and grasses YOU up? As suggested above, she could tell them that you've known about her fraudulent behaviour all along and you could still lose your job over this.

[PampersNotPampered]

I agree that if your sister is found out, she'll blab you and say 'well it as such and such wasn't it?!' And then a whole new story of deadline dates you've given could come to light. Speak to your manager but only mention a fleeting comment she's made that's made you suspicious.

[GruntledOne]

I can't see that you have any choice but to report this: you have no duty to put your job at risk just to save your sister being found out. I would suggest that you tell your sister that you are aware that your office is cracking down on this, you cannot risk the chance of her being found out which would mean you getting sacked, therefore she needs to tell the benefit office this week. If she doesn't, you will have no choice but to report it yourself. And at the same time tell the other members of your family who you reckon will riot about this, so that they know before the event that you have given her the chance to avoid prosecution.

[sugar21]

Hmm

[sugar21]

Precisely!

[Namechange1987]

Very helpful?

Because mn is supposed to be somewhere you can get advice and support anonymously or did you join for different reasons?

My post is about a moral dilemma. If you have nothing helpful or constructive to add I suggest you leave the post.

[StrawberryTeaLeaf]

Hmm

[BMW6]

Looking at the responses of some of the posters on here I wonder how rife benefit fraud is......it appears not to be viewed as theft, which it most certainly is. The use of the term "grassing up" is also very revealing.

I also wonder how it is that these MN'ers view Benefit Fraud as a victimless crime. Are you riding that particular gravy train too?

[StrawberryTeaLeaf]

Nevermind the posters BMW, look at the supposed investigators. If they aren't clear what to do about fraud, why should anyone else be?

[Namechange1987]

I am very clear on what to do about fraud, at what point did I ask how to report it? Maybe you should read first before you comment.

And benefit fraud is very common, anyone who says otherwise is in denial, but some people are watched for months/years before there's enough evidence against them.

Some people will never be caught - because the same people protecting them are the same people who moan about taxes, cuts in the wrong places ect.

Thank you to everyone who's helped, I really hope she comes clean by Monday. I would much rather it came from her.

[Iliveinalighthousewiththeghost]

Normally I'd say keep your snout out, but as you work for the fraud department its more than a tad, bit unfair if others are bring dragged over the coals, sent to jail in some cases. Their money even if fraud is slightly suspected but she gets away with it because her sister works for the fraud department. Going against your own policy there.
Here comes the but, though. She is she your sister. Only natural that you don't want to report her. I don't know she could nbe doing it because she had to, so if you decide to keep quiet. Please be mindful that others may have the same reason.

[StrawberryTeaLeaf]

I am very clear on what to do about fraud

No you're not;

Should I just keep my nose out of it?

[Namechange1987]

Strawberry your obviously a very closed minded person - it's not a black and white situation. My job is to investigate fraud reports. My sister is my blood. I wanted advice to see what the 'right' thing to do would be. Not to have you talking down to me like your some sort of troll hunting god.

Lighthouse I really agree with what your saying and I do feel sorry for allot of people in that position where they feel they have to in order to survive - my sister isn't one of those people though .

I've spoken to my dm and I'm going to go to my sisters tomorrow and direct her to website to advice of her change of circs, and then if not show her the fraud form. I'm hoping this will help her make the right decision - especially when I tell a little white lie that if I report her it'll all be stopped straight away anyway..

[StrawberryTeaLeaf]

It's just very confusing OP.

According to your account;

You have clear views on benefit fraud and are knowledgeable on that subject. You want to keep your job. You have warned her.

Your sister clearly wants you to know what she is doing. She knows what you do for a job, presumably. She isn't obliged to draw your attention to her personal affairs. Anyone that dim will come to grief sooner or later regardless of what you do.

So why ask MN?

[AlpacaLypse]

OP I feel for you, unlike some of the contributors to this thread I also have a daft sister who honestly thinks she will never be caught and she's entitled to it anyway for (fill in your own vague nebulous reason here).

I'm very glad my career would not be ended if I was discovered to be colluding in fraud, unlike yours.

[Bunbaker]

"Looking at the responses of some of the posters on here I wonder how rife benefit fraud is......it appears not to be viewed as theft, which it most certainly is."

They will be the same people who think nothing of smuggling half of their family into a hotel room, having only paid for two adults, or who think it is OK to steal the cruet set/cutlery/wine glasses from a restaurant etc.

Who are these people who think that theft of any kind is acceptable?

[Borninthe60s]

You are not fit to be in your job if you are on here questioning what to do.

Basically you are saying that it's ok for you to happily investigate people you don't know but anyone you are emotionally involved with gets a bit of time to sort their change in circs out.

At least she's honest to you about her fraud, you on the other hand are deceiving yourself and your colleagues.

I wish I knew who you were I'd report you and your sister and you'd ,one your job and shed lose her benefits, you are as bad as each other!

[Namechange1987]

Thank you to everyone who's given me advice and support! I've have actually asked MNHQ to remove my thread as I think it's got a bit too personal now and I don't want to be connected with it further.

Thanks again to all the helpful people here

[sweetvparsley]

Crumbs Borninthe60s - that's a bit harsh.

OP, like the majority of people on here, I would say that it would be best to report it ASAP. I liked your idea about pretending to be her but on reflection, I see that two wrong frauds do not really make things right.

I have a daft SIL who we recently discovered has been claiming a benefit to which she wasn't entitled for many years. Her circumstances have now seriously deteriorated and she now has a significant entitlement to other benefits but is now so terrified of claiming these benefits because it would mean coming clean about her previous circumstances. This had lead to a situation where her elderly parents are now financially supporting her and her children.

You may actually be doing your sister a favour if you report her as at least it limits the amount of debt she would have to pay back when it comes to light.

[ilovesooty]

I think given that you feel your job is at risk you can't ignore it.

[evilcherub]

Is it that easy to get away with? Surely the council or whoever must have some way of using data checking to find out if people are living alone etc? Otherwise there must be hundreds of thousands of people like her pretending to be single yet really living as a couple?

[PipeDownSmallFry]

Sorry not read all the posts as pages of them now.

Get upset at work, tell your boss about it and then leave it for them to sort out. Whether your sister works out that you were involved in her being found out or not doesn't really matter, she knows she's living on borrowed time.

[StrawberryTeaLeaf]

Search 'Concentrix' to see what the 'data checking' bulk trawl results in evilcherub. It's an eye-opener.

[Atenco]

I still think cutting off contact with her and then using that as your reason for not reporting her is a good idea. It certainly seems stupid on her part to let you know that she is still claiming benefits.