AIBU to report my company to HMRC?

[leftonmytodd]

Used an old one off name for this as my regular names have outing posts.

My company has been submitting fraudulent furlough claims for clients - I am intending to report them and they will know it's me but as I am intending to leave soon should I wait until I have left (could be another month or so) or report now?

If it makes any difference the amount fraudulently claimed will be in the region of 2 million pounds (a lot of clients fudging their February payroll).

YABU - wait until I leave

YANBU - report now

Can you prove it uncategorically?? If so keep the proof.

YANBU please report

@winterisstillcoming yes I have proof and it will be very easy for HMRC to check their own records and realise that the claims don't add up with what has been reported between April 19 to January 20.

Torn on this one. Yes you should, but, would other people lose their jobs as a result? People who weren't involved in the scam?

I suggest you contact Protect (the whistleblowers charity). They gave me some very sound advice when I was in a similar situation. You have legal protections as a whistleblower ( under the public interest disclosure act) as long as your concerns fulfil various criteria. Good luck - integrity is doing the right thing even when nobody it watching, and it's not always easy.

@NotTerfNorCis possibly employees of clients as full amounts of claim may need to be paid back depending on outcome and with average monthly claims of £16,000-20,000 businesses could go under.

@ThrowTheBookandtheBookcase thanks for the advice will check out the website and give them a call tomorrow

Report.
Important that these things are reported and sorted.
Why should the country/taxpayers fund this.

I'd seek advice with a view to report. But take steps to ensure that there won't be consequences for you. I know there shouldn't be but what would might happen if you were found out?

For example, you can tell HMRC anonymously but your company may be able to quickly figure out who it is from the data that you're allowed to see. Protect yourself.

How do you know? I assume you work for some kind of payroll bureau - how do you know what work their employees are doing?

It's really common
It would be great if you had the guts to report it
I hope a lot of these companies are closed down for this level of theft

Just as an aside - I recently did mandatory training about fraud at work. I never realised that knowing fraud was being committed and not doing anything about it means you are acting fraudulently and can be jailed. Glad to see all posts are saying report

Please do. There is a real problem with this.

Assuming you know this is the case your employer, presumably an accounting firm or payroll bureau, must also know. It may be well worth reporting to the governing body as well.

Unfortunately the reality is that there will likely be consequences for you. So so wrong but likely to be the case.

Good luck.

@panicstationsready yep. Employees often turn Queen’s Evidence to protect themselves when they find out they’ll be prosecuted for turning a blind eye.

Yes definitely report. That’s a hell of a lot of money, which will have to be recouped by increased taxes etc.

Definitely report. By the time HMRC can investigate it, you'll be long gone.
Your details will be kept confidential by HMRC and graded on the severity of the fraud and the amount of proof you can give them.

Definitely report, but please ensure that you are protected by Whistleblowing legislation. Call Acas to find out how you can be protected in law.

Of course report it. Don't wait, it will be ages in the investigation and you'll be gone by then. If you wait, there will be questions as to why you didn't report straight away and that might pour doubt on your case. I hope you have proof (and keep copies, just in case).
Good luck.

Please report this. I hate the thought of people making fraudulent claims like this when it's going to take us years to get out of the debt this virus will leave us in.

Make sure you follow the correct process and only report to a prescribed person. www.gov.uk/government/publications/blowing-the-whistle-list-of-prescribed-people-and-bodies--2/whistleblowing-list-of-prescribed-people-and-bodies
www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-public-interest-disclosure-act

Do report please.

Please report it OP! Honest people will pay the price otherwise. Furlough is great IF it is needed, but I am not sure how many generations will pay back the cost of this year`s expense....

Please report it.

It's clearly the only ethical thing to do, and besides, HMRC are doing spot checks and it might come to light anyway, in which case if it was obvious you must have known but didn't say anything, you could be implicated.

YANBU report it?

Report it.