compliance officer

[milesle09]

hi i was wodering if someone could shed some light here. i had a telephone intrrveiw with a compliance officer today. someone had rang up miliously to say i was living with my sons dad which isnt the case he seemed like a nice man and asked if he come to see my son at my address which i sed yes most of the week he comes to see him ect. he sed on the phone it sounds like someone is just trying to causrle trouble ect. so i asked him wat happens next he sed nothing he would write this up and then close it? is this genuien coz i have done nothing wrong and cant believe people would do this out of spite. ? many thanks

Well said ameliajack.

A full investigation is usually done prior to contacting the claimant and it's usually to hear your side of things. If there are any discrepancies, they investigate further and may call you in for an interview under caution. However if there's no irregularities and you can confirm what they've found during the investigation then they can close it. You should get a letter confirming that it's closed as far as I'm aware.

That is all they do for one report.

miles it sounds as though it's all been resolved, and I wouldn't worry any further. They are often more than happy to close an investigation just based on a telephone interview.

don't think of it as malicious, just think of it as someone trying to do their civic duty. People do make fraudulent claims, and it costs all of us. That is why compliance officers do this job.
It's malicious. It is not civic duty. If you don't know the full facts, butt out.

It's malicious. It is not civic duty. If you don't know the full facts, butt out. I disagree, benefit fraudsters are not caught after being reported by people who know the full facts, they are caught after being reported by people who have suspicions.

Just had to say there ARE nice compliance officers around! I was one in housing for three years!

But anyway OP, the benefit office will have done, or will do, credit checks to see where your dc's dad is registered and where his documents/phone bills/bank statements etc go to. The call was most likely just a curtesy so it can be noted that whatever the outcome of their "investigation" they can state they have spoken to you. As long as your situation is above board, you will have very little to worry about. I know it can be stressful and annoying though to feel like you're being questioned when doing nothing wrong so you have my sympathies.