To report someone for lying?

[isthiswalter]

Someone I know runs a business of sorts. I say of sorts because nobody appears to use her services but she makes a big show on fb of being her own boss and how hard she's working etc.

Anyway last week she announced that the business had been awarded "outstanding in all areas" by this regulatory committee without even being inspected. Due to the fact she's always making stuff up (regularly gets called out on fb for it) I decided to check online. Turns out her business isn't even registered with this regulatory body, let alone won any awards.

Should I just mind my own business? People could be tempted to use her services based on this award and it just doesn't sit right with me. I'm debating reporting her to this regulatory body but I accept that I might be poking my nose in!

Report to the regulatory committee. Have someone she doesn’t know and that is not one of your Facebook friends say they have checked and she doesn’t on the page.

Are you volunteering? 😬

Is it an MLM?

Is it an MLM?

No it isn't an MLM, it's a service that deals with vulnerable adults which is why I don't think she should be lying about their credentials.

Yes you would clearly be poking your nose in. That doesn’t necessarily mean you shouldn’t report her, but I don’t see what you would gain from it.

It is clear she annoys you so you might be better off just deleting her as a friend. Life is too short to spend headspace on this kind of thing. Especially when everyone’s emotional resources are stretched at a time like this.

I would. People work hard to actually really be awarded excellent feedback and people who take a piss deserve to be called out on it.

What area is the business in?

X posted.

Report. Very much so

I could definitely report to the regulatory body, I'd be worried they'd tell her it was me though!

Yep, definitely report. If she’s not willing to take the consequences if she’s found out she shouldn’t be lying.

@isthiswalter

I could definitely report to the regulatory body, I'd be worried they'd tell her it was me though!

I am sure you can do it anonymously. Make sure to send an evidence without your identifying details. Eg. Facebook post but cropped so it doesn't show your little icon.

Vulnerable adults? 100% report. I used to work with them and there's too much abuse as is.

I'm not saying she is doing anything untoward regarding the people that already use the service. More that she's claiming to have these awards that she hasn't got which might encourage people to use her services. Given all the fibs she's told I'm starting to wonder if she's really got the qualifications she claims to have.

Why dont you privately message her about it? See what she says as the first step? Hopefully she will delete it and think twice next time about what she posts

If it is working with vulnerable clients: it is a no brainer.....absolutely report.

Appreciate she may be a liar but I know a lot of regulatory bodies are very behind with formalising certification at the moment.

I have been chasing ISO auditors to log my companies results with a safe contractor register for months now but they are so behind it’s not happening any time soon. So whilst the business does have the accreditation, if a client were to look at their register at the moment then it wouldn’t show.

From a safeguarding perspective definitely. Imagine if something happened to someone in her care that was only there because they believed her lies?

if there is any possibility of the regulatory bodies just being behind with formalising stuff, could you contact them directly with an 'innocent' question, eg 'I have seen this business saying it has X accredition and X awards but can't find confirmation on your website, can you shed any light on this please?'

That way you're not precisely dobbing her in. It really is possible that there has been a delay, mistake or oversight on their behalf, which getting in touch with them will nudge them to rectify without embarrassing anybody; and if it really is her lying, they will investigate her themselves. I think since it's to do with the care of vulnerable adults, they need to be made aware anyway.

It pretty shocking that she works with vulnerable adults and isn't being transparent. You should definitely report and not feel guilty about it.

If its CQC and she is providing any form of regulated activity without being registered (or ofsted) then report immediately. If it's with vulnerable people , there are granted a fee services that don't need to be but they are not common and if shes claiming to be registered it would suggest she should be. Report report report.

I will be honest and say whilst there are whistleblowing measures in the above they are not necessarily confidential but really if she should be registered , report her. There is a reason services are required to be registered.

If it’s working with vulnerable adults she may or may not be required to be registered. The body usually responsible in England I’d the CQC ( unless an educational service, in which case it’s Ofsted).
Companies need to register if they provide certain regulated activities. If they don’t provide those activities they don’t need to be registered and can say what they like.

Unregistered services proving regulated activities are acting outwith the law. Report via the website. Displaying false ratings is also an offence. Who is paying for the service? Local authorities won’t commission unregistered services, which leads me to suspect it’s not a regulated activity.
What makes you think it’s a safeguarding issue?

I don't really know what activities she provides. It's listed as a mental health support service, and from what I can gather people pay privately for "support". From the fb posts they seem to just do arts and crafts.

Not required to be registered then.
Only if they are providing accommodation for people requiring nursing or personal care (doesn’t sound likes she’s accommodating) or providing personal care (changing, giving drugs, washing etc).

Arts and craft clubs are not required to be registered or inspected by anyone.

@CherryPavlova she claims to be a level 4 qualified support worker, who's been awarded "outstanding in all areas" by the CQC, apparently without being inspected (due to COVID)

@CherryPavlova she claims to be a level 4 qualified support worker, who's been awarded "outstanding in all areas" by the CQC, apparently without being inspected (due to COVID)