My friend reported me for benefit fraud....

[thisismymomentwithu]

Me and my friend "Ana" have been friends for 10 years now,a couple of times I've backed away from her as she did some pretty crappy things (accused ex of hitting her to stop his access but told me it was a lie and many other things ) stupidly I always start hanging out with her and ignoring my better judgement.
I work full time but get help with UC since I split with my partner and my wage isn't great.
When my grandma passed I was left £4,500 and I put it away for when I needed anything.
I always got on well with "Ana's" friends and struck up a friendship with a couple of girls due to our kids being the same age and having similar interests.
Ana wasn't happy and we ended up falling out and our friendship was over (her choice )
After a few months my new friends stopped wanting to meet up as usual,I had a feeling it was because of Ana but didn't want to ask them.
In the mean time I received a letter for a compliance interview.
Attending this interview (via phone call ) I was informed someone reported me for having my ex living with me and working a cash in hand job (neither are true ) and they told me they received a Anon tip off and told me the date (the same day Ana blocked me on everything)
It was all sorted out and no action taken as they realised it wasn't true.
Fast forward two months later and speaking via text to one of my new friends and she kept saying
"Well the people who fleece the system will be getting found out soon and in trouble"
"Has your ex moved back in? Thought I seen him leaving home one morning"
Then she said something about my benefit claim that she must have been told by "Ana "
Lightbulb moment ...it was deffo Ana but my other friends knew and believed her.
I've stopped speaking with everyone now but I'm gutted.

Why wasn't she satisfied with falsely reporting me ..why did she also tell our mutual friends I was doing something she knew I wasn't?
I'm so embarrassed
My kids are in these girls classes at school

not true.
doesn't need reporting.

Morristj
Did you get the outcome in writing? If you did how about sharing that?

This definitely

Also, if you’re on income related benefits, the DWP normally request bank statements periodically to check on any savings or undeclared income so they do check.

I am on UC, and made a few £K selling a vehicle I was no longer using. I lost sleep over it. Approached CAB, and they said it was under the £6k threshold so no need to declare.
I do not trust what any work coach at the Job Centre says. I asked if I could make a bit of cash selling handmade things. Was told I would have to register a company and declare all money coming in. And that I would be stopped 63p for every £1 I made, not profit... ALL money. HMRC says you don't need to register self employed if you make less than £1k a year.
Another friend on benefits was told by her work coach to do craft fairs... was told no need to declare anything if it was less than £1k a year.
Another friend on benefits was told to not even volunteer as their money would get stopped.

I ma so so sorry this has happened to you. It must be deeply upsetting. I hope you meet some better kinder people soon

Had same thing happen due to a malicious inlaw. Benefits made a note on the system to say they wouldn't accept any further anonymous reports and that if a certain person rang up and gave their name they were to contact police due to it being malicious. I'd quite calmly drop it in conversation if any of them ask, saying "Oh yeah you don't by any chance know who is spreading these malicious lies do you, the police are involved as the tip of too benefits is being treat as malicious and they intend to speak to whoever is doing it.

Appalling behaviour from spiteful nasty jealous devious people that you should keep well away from. Things could get worse if they carry on so distance. . .

I reported someone for benefit fraud a few years ago. Although we weren't friends and they genuinely were committing fraud (claiming a high rate of disability when they had no disability, just so they didn't have to work). But yeah sounds like you could do with meeting some new people. If the situation with your children's school becomes unbearable you might want to rethink that too. I know it's drastic measures but life is too short to be unhappy, or surrounded by the wrong people.

You have nothing to be embarrassed of nor have you done anything wrong. Stay away from them all for your own sake. Sound like w load of bitches.

i would be tempted to have it out with them too, even just over text. Tell them that you were investigated and nothing come of it because you had done nothing wrong!

ana should be the one who's embarrassed.

Send her a lawyer's telling her to stop libelling you as regards etc etc One letter won't bankrupt you and it may frighten her off.You have been officially cleared (any documentation?)so she hasn't a leg to stand on. If you feel like it you could always flash the letter round the group

I agree with this. Although it goes against the grain. I think the "friends" are just as bad as Ana and are dying to continue the next installment of the drama because ...

Fast forward two months later and speaking via text to one of my new friends and she kept saying
"Well the people who fleece the system will be getting found out soon and in trouble"
"Has your ex moved back in? Thought I seen him leaving home one morning"
Then she said something about my benefit claim

I think this was a fishing expedition, she'd been gossiping about it wth Ana and decided to drop heavy hints to prod you into saying something and find out what happened with their tip off.
I doubt she ever saw your Ex.. she said that because if you said yes, they would have been able to tip off the gov again!!!

Bin the vile lot of them.
It is tempting to give them a piece of your mind but when horrible people like this club together to be malicious they are just dying to keep the game going as it entertains their tiny vicious minds so much. They just want to get a reaction to have a long running feud that they can keep bubbling over.

Instead, let them wait and wonder why nothing has happened, but have a factual phrase ready to squash any future allegations (without giving them any further information) Or simply say "No and its none of your business". I'd keep out of their way and let it all die down. Grey Rock and Focus on other people. Luckily the summer holidays are coming up and hopefully they will move on. Report them to the school if you know anything has been said there so they can keep an eye out.

Anybody whose good opinion is worth having won't believe her gossiping.
I'd put something vague in a whatsapp group about a smear campaign that has made you step back.

I'm struggling with a similar thing. My mother has told my extended family that I'm the devil. Left out a lot when she smeared me to them.

I would also say something - not to get your other friends back because, as others have said, they may not be worth it - but to get your story out there. At the very least it will warn them what Ana is like so you're doing a good thing.

They can take it or leave it, but you've used your voice and stood up for yourself which is (nearly) always a good thing.

As for the couple of people here offering benefit advice while proudly knowing absolutely nothing about benefits, you're an absolute scream but, y'know... just don't.

Tell them you are hiring a private investigator to find out who it was not that DWP are satisfied was a malicious report and that you will be taking legal action against anyone found to be sharing information about you.

There are some truly toxic people in this world unfortunately. Sounds like you've had the misfortune to meet/befriend one of them. If your other friends choose to believe lies spread by others then more fool them. Hard as it may be, move on and keep your distance.

I had a friend who would do things like this. When she first mentioned reporting someone for benefit fraud (eho she had fallen out with) I thought she was just lying (she told lots of lies). A while after I decided enough was enough some close family members of mine had a visit from social services, I was blamed for the visit due to things that were mentioned, I cant prove it was her but I'm pretty sure. I always felt a bit under a cloud of suspicion with my family after this until last year when ex friend popped up on social media ranting about reporting a dentist for some imaginary slight and I was able to show my relatives that she was at it again. I dont know why some people think its ok to waste peoples time, public money doing this kind if crap but they obviously get something out of it

This.

The best advice I was ever given:

”anyone worth knowing your side of the story, would ask for it”

if they are happy to believe someone else’s lies let them and wait until she turns on them.

hold Your head up Xx

It’s sad that she has done this maliciously.
I have reported an ex friend but only with true information she told me herself and because she stole a clothing item and nearly left me and DC stranded in ldn when we visited

As a PP has said (love this!) … Put it in the fucket bucket and move on.

Ignore all and have zero to do with other ladies. You’ve won the battle, just smirk at her if you make eye contact.

I wouldn’t send the message that refers to a police investigation, because lying about something won’t be a good way of having them think that you’re the trustworthy one.

But, what I would say to them is something like: ‘I’d have preferred to not have to talk about this again, but to make you aware, I was maliciously reported for benefits fraud by someone I’d previously thought was a friend. I was cleared as it was so obviously untrue - but as you’re saying similar things, this is just a gentle suggestion to watch out who you’re friends with as I’d hate this to happen to anyone else.’

I've always had One (1) definition of a "friend": "A friend is someone who gives you the benefit of the doubt."

If some malicious person tells someone you consider a friend something bad about you, a true friend either doesn't believe it, orat the very leastthey ask you about it and listen to YOUR side of the story.

This woman "Ana" of course is not your friend, but neither are the people who listened to her and believed her, without questioning her or you about it.

You are better off without them. They are parasites.

I know it hurts to lose people you think are friends, but you have to find other ways to fill the spaces in your life that they left behind. And, so often, I have found that there is someone whom I really didn't pay a lot of attention to who proves her/himself to be a true friend when this sort of thing happens. I hope you will find that person in your life.

Stay strong and "Don't let the b*stards get you down."

I’d play Ana at her own game and start a WhatsApp group to these so called “new friends” - say somebody reported you for benefit fraud which was dismissed as a malicious tip off (an offence in itself) . Tell them the DSS take that very seriously as they investigated and found you had done nothing wrong and they tape every call and are investigating whoever did it and they will eventually feel the force of the law for wasting their time - watch Ana and them squirm 😂

To be honest it all sounds a bit like playground stuff to me; walk away these people aren’t worth your headspace; their all small minded, feeding off pathetic gossip made up by a shit stirring madam who has nothing better to do with her time. Concentrate on your family, your home & yourself; do things that give you & your children the opportunity to enjoy your lives & to make new friends that aren’t part of this clique’ x

@Rosscameasdoody never been asked for a bank statement from dwp, however council did and i refused and was taken no further. i was doing nothing wrong, but didnt see why they should be allowed to see how and on what i spent money. if im ever asked again, i would share money paid in so they can see its all above bored. just because people claim benefits does not mean they arent entitled tp privacy op ... Ana is an evil bastard end of.