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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To report someone for benefit fraud.

96 replies

Isitsummeryeticantwaitanymore · 02/06/2019 23:46

Overheard a conversation between DH and DSS's mother. Basically before DSS started school, DH paid a large amount of maintenance she then met a partner and moved in with them DH reduced the payments (still above CM level) as it became apparent that not all the money was going to DSS. He has since discovered that durning this time she was also claiming full benefit. AIBU to report this?

OP posts:
hsegfiugseskufh · 03/06/2019 12:43

potato

she wont have access to benefits anymore? do you mean she wont get benefits she is not entitled to? just like everyone else?

if she becomes destitute because she cannot cope without fraudulently claiming benefits, that is entirely her own issue.

how would anyone know OP reported it anyway? its anonymous.

are seriously saying that benefit fraud is ok?!

PatoPotato · 03/06/2019 12:57

JoanMavisIcecreamGirl

If what OP says is true, the mother will probably be able to figure it out.

And you never know, she might need benefits but she might not have access over a lie. You cannot guarantee benefit fraud over a rumour but if OP reports her, then her benefits could be stopped while this is investigated. That is cruel.

hsegfiugseskufh · 03/06/2019 12:59

its not cruel to report benefit fraud, if you genuinely think its happening and you have some kind of evidence to back it up.

WhoKnewBeefStew · 03/06/2019 13:01

I’m not sure I understand. CM has nothing to do with benefits. Do you mean she was claiming single persons benefits whilst she had a partner living with her?

CM is to go towards house, food, elec, bills, clothing etc. How do you differentiate between what the money is spent on by the way?

fancynancyclancy · 03/06/2019 13:27

MN is batshit, you get berated for not telling a checkout operator if they haven't charged you enough because its stealing, but benefit fraud is absolutely fine!

Yes, I never understand this! 🤣

MoominMantra · 03/06/2019 14:46

Yes but the point is @fancynancyclancy that the OP can't possibly know if the woman she's talking about has actually done anything wrong or not. It's all speculation and ill will, frankly.

fancynancyclancy · 03/06/2019 14:48

There are plenty of threads where posters say they have evidence, it’s still the same response.

Bluntness100 · 03/06/2019 14:50

What do you mean the money was spent on drugs? Your husband gave custody of his son to a drug addict?

Or maybe you are just jealous of her and want to do something spiteful because your husband once loved her?

happyhillock · 03/06/2019 14:54

I'd stay out of it if i were you, it's none of your buisness, if she did get her benefit's stopped your partner may end up paying more child maintenance.

Awwlookatmybabyspider · 03/06/2019 15:00

"She could have you know not committed benefit fraud"

It must have been said 1,000 times already, but CM payments are not included in benefit calculations.
So I can't see where any fraud is taking place. Do you have as much contempt for Millionaire tax dodgers and star bucks ect or.Are you only good at getting on your high horse when it comes the poor.

hsegfiugseskufh · 03/06/2019 15:01

aww I know its not, but OP says that she was claiming benefits whilst living with a partner?

yes I think they're all twats who should pay up, HTH.

Awwlookatmybabyspider · 03/06/2019 15:02

Excellent point from Happy.

It might well bite you good and proper in the arse.

hsegfiugseskufh · 03/06/2019 15:02

if she did get her benefit's stopped your partner may end up paying more child maintenance

why? maintenance calculations are not based on the receiving parents income...

hazell42 · 03/06/2019 15:22

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HaroldsSocalledBluetits · 03/06/2019 18:26

OP said that "during this time she was claiming" which I presumed to refer to the past, when the woman was single. Not to now, when she has a partner.

Graphista · 03/06/2019 19:04

"If it is not fraud then no harm done." NOT TRUE!

Especially in the current climate! People who AREN'T doing ANYTHING wrong DO have their money stopped due to malicious, but convincing reports.

It's outrageous that on this its guilty until proven innocent as far as dwp are concerned.

"op if you had said "should I report my friend for benefit fraud" you would have got an overwhelming yes" nope! Go look at all the other threads on reporting suspected fraud - I've NEVER seen one where that's happened and I've NEVER seen one where when challenged the op hasn't either disappeared (like here) or it's become very apparent they cannot possibly know what is actually happening with the person they're considering reporting's finances - mainly because most people don't go around detailing their full finances in public!

"sorry but I think anyone knowingly making a fraudulent claim is more of a worthless piece of shit!" These are very few and far between, most cases occur because the system is ridiculously and deliberately over complicated!

"There are plenty of threads where posters say they have evidence," the threads I've been on where this has been claimed when pushed it becomes apparent they don't actually have evidence. Most commonly "they can't be disabled because they walk/drive/go to the gym" bollocks because obviously ALL disabilities are physical and render the sufferer completely immobile immediately they get a dx 🤔

"OP said that "during this time she was claiming" which I presumed to refer to the past, when the woman was single. Not to now, when she has a partner." That was my thinking too.

MitziK · 03/06/2019 19:25

They aren't interested in chasing up allegations of something that happened in the past - they can't get proof of it, for a start; an anonymous claim is not evidence of anything.

It would be like my ex reporting me for benefit fraud. He tried, he really tried hard. Couldn't understand why I wasn't penniless and destitute or in handcuffs each time he made a call or sent an email. I wonder whether it actually ever dawned on him that perhaps I wasn't claiming benefits and that DP had moved in officially, was on the council tax bill and I wasn't 'stealing from hard working taxpayers' like him? - to be honest, I doubt it; I reckon he still thinks I managed to get away with tens of thousands of pounds somehow.

If she were doing it now, there would be a point to reporting it. As it is, it's just a waste of time, as all that will happen is that somebody will tap a few details in, see that she isn't claiming benefits and close the case.

FluffyTabbycat · 03/06/2019 19:52

Grass

FluffyTabbycat · 03/06/2019 19:53

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Coppersulphate · 11/06/2019 13:04

I don't care how complicated the system is, fraud is still fraud.
I would report it and I have done so in the past. The person had committed fraud and was charged and convicted.
This has nothing to do with Amazon and their tax avoidance, which is also wrong. But amazon's tax evasion (which I believe they do legally) does not mean that someone has a right to defraud taxpayers which is what benefit fraud does.

Paying the wrong amount at a checkout defrauds the shop, not the taxpayers. It is wrong but it is between the shop and the person concerned.
I think it is outrageous for a benefit advisor to be condoning benefit fraud.

TheFastandCurious · 11/06/2019 14:04

I’d be seriously questioning my relationship if I were with a man who left a child with a drug user.

I’d be seeing to that before I poked my beak in to someone else’s business based on nothing but gossip.

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