In my previous life I dealt with a lot of stuff like this . I may be out of the loop a bit now and this might not be correct anymore but here is my opinion
OP Fraud Is mainly discovered now by Data fraud checking through credit files
when you put a claim in for benefit they can arrange via a third party to do a credit check on you to see if what you put on the claim (single ) matches with the electrol roll / credit file . If there is anything that is flagged up like still. Ring on the ER credit cards or loans then it's taken further to investigate
This
People splitting up / single mums are top of the list to be checked as it's a fraud that's in theory easy to do but also easy to catch out . As so much is on credit files in this day and age .So it's a blue print of sorts to your life and very hard evidence if your caught out
The main ones are who is on electoral roll , any joint bank accounts
Loans taken out at the house after your supposed to have split up
Credit cards taken out after you have split up in his name or joint
They can get your credit report and see any associations you have with anyone else at your address
You would have agreed to this check when you sign up for benefit tax credit ( it's in the small print )
The main reason why people get caught is they don't see what they are doing is criminal ( which it is )
so they don't think like criminals so they carry on acting exactly the same way as they did before .
So they carry on being a couple financially , posting days out on face book . Posting that they are a couple on Facebook crap . Living together cooking and shopping together .
So many people get caught out by bloody face book it's unreal posting holidays snaps, weddings, really smart criminals . It also makes it easy for friend to screen shot it and send it off as evidence to the DWP
So if you are going down this route make sure he is on electroll roll at his parents / grans straight away
Car insurance driving licence and bank accounts all moved as well
Work address changed to parents / grans
Don't tell anyone what you are doing either . Not even his parents just say you are splitting up for a while
Don't post shit on face book/ social media with photos of you and boyfriend and baby on a day out . Blah blah
Change your profile to single on face book
Don't give your email address to DWP on forms either .
But my advice is not to do it and to claim tax credits you will be better off
It will be you who is prosecuted if your the only name on the claim which it is likely to be as well .
Nothing will happen to your boyfriend he will get off Scott free if he is not on the claim which is ok as he can look after the baby if you end up in jail
The lady who was someone posted a link to getting caught
It says it was a tip off which is might have been but a tip off isn't enough
There has to be solid evidence like photos , Facebook posts electrol roll bank accounts, joint . credit , like someone paying for sky at the house or bills in the DH names . All of which is evidence of living together
Just ringing up and reporting someone isn't enough . It will be looked at but if there isn't enough evidence nothing will be done or they might get a compliance interview