To think I am being stalked by benefit fraud people?

[Secretnamechange123]

No. I don’t take any recreational drugs, I’m not schizophrenic, I don’t hear voices and I am not being paranoid. Just thought I’d clear that up.

For the last few weeks down my road there’s been a few different cars turn up every morning and stays until later afternoon. The driver almost always stays in the car.

i am a genuine benefits receiver and I need assistance to move, so they won’t catch me wandering the streets, or popping out shopping/gym, unless I have available help, which is possibly once a month. Yes, for a whole month I am stuck inside. They would have seen my meds turn up in a boots pharmacy van, my shopping delivered which is usually time when my neighbours are home to help me. I live alone, I have no support, I don’t know what they are trying to catch? Their car is very unassuming but I live on a street with mine and my neighbours are attached and no more houses for half a mile.

Theyre not stalking my neighbours because they’re not on benefits, so I am guessing it can only mean it’s for me. I don’t have any criminal background, I basically sit in my house for weeks on end, do you think someone is trying to get me into trouble for no reason?

My first thought is drug dealing OP.

I had very similar when I lived in the middle of nowhere a couple of years ago.
I actually knocked on their window and asked if they were okay.
You know the charity bags that are posted through your letterbox at regular intervals? They were dropping people off in local villages to post these bags, and just passing time in a quiet spot until pick up time.

That would make total sense.

Paying full time wages to people + parking for WEEKS to catch one benefit fraud. That's a brilliant use of resources, 1 full time employee plus back-up, so 2 full time civil servant (+ parking) per benefit fraud for at least a couple of months- or suspected of fraud of course.

It's the only reasonable explanation.

I suppose it could be an anti fly-tipping squad. More likely than trying to catch someone out in benefit fraud by being really really obvious.

Trying to think of other reasons I’ve had cause to ask why people were sitting outside my very rural house eating sandwiches.

One was a woman from the village getting some ‘me time’. Another was a Jehovah’s witness who had dropped the rest of his family off down various lanes and he was waiting for them all to come back.

Both police and press will use a different car most days if watching a house. If press a photographer, they will normally (not always) go when night comes, a journalist will stay longer. I used to work in the press so that's how I know. But sitting in a car for several hours is unusual but there are a few reasons for it, as already said.

You think you are way more important than you actually are OP!

Report it to the Police if you really think there is someone stalking you!

111 gets you the NHS I think. 101 for non urgent police.

Again, they're not that stupid. A wholesale dealer isn't going to be using the same spot over & over, nor even the same vehicle. You might get a Deliveroo-style retailer using the same vehicle repeatedly for deliveries to end-users, but they're not going to be hanging around on a quiet, random street & certainly not in a way that arouses residents' curiosity, as this does. They'll do normal stuff between deliveries like trot off to MaccieDees or just sit at home.

They are that stupid. I speak from experience. The police generally don't give a shit.

@Secretnamechange123 it may well be covert surveillance officers from DWP, they do exist. It wouldn’t be considered stalking if they had genuine reason to surveil you

Agree. In London, it seems the police don't care at all.

You could always just ask them…I would🤷‍♀️

I used to work for benefits and they do stake out like this. Not subtle at all and i don’t think you’re being paranoid at all.
I’ve been on the other end of it when on long term sick as a result of bullying at work and an ongoing tribunal. I would see a car parked up from 7.30am (I think, from having worked in HR, they check to see you’re not doing another job on the side, something that happened on several occasions we investigated), and I would walk past with the dog and then to take my dc to school which was five minutes away. After a week of this, and having seen the folder on car seat with my name on it and the pointed avoidance of eye contact with me, I rapped on the car window, said that they’d been reported to neighbourhood watch, and told the woman to not consider a career as a spy as I’d clocked them watching me on the second day!

Dwp don’t sit outside on the street all day, we had this where we used to live same car every day for two weeks, then next door had the armed police at their door for drugs & weapons.

They certainly wouldn't be in McDonalds - that's where the police are 😂

Ok, I may be able to give some insight.

1. you have absolutely no idea who us and isn’t on benefits in your road:
   Not everyone tells others their personal finances and some even lie.
   Not everyone tells you their medical information and some lie.
   Not all benefits are means tested therefore you could live in a manageable and still be eligible eg PIP

2. If you have a genuine claim then it’s unlikely you are the subject if;
   you claim to live alone and don’t have a partner staying over etc then unlikely to be regarding you
   you have an actual medical need that is quite clear cut ie well documented and long term it’s unlikely to be you

3. the cost of surveillance is very high and not always cost and time friendly and is usually only done after much behind the scenes digging which has shown genuine concerns. They also have to obtain a special warrant so again a court has to have deemed it proportional and not just on a whim.

So unless you think you fall into the categories above and have been raking it in on the sly, they are not out to get you!

If they are sat in a car for long periods, can't you tap on the window and politely ask what they are doing? Ask for some ID?

Sure, Jan.

The DWP don’t have the resources to have complex surveillance operations on random claimants OP. The cases you may have heard about are where there has been a tip off received and there is a substantial fraud (in terms of time and value). I’m talking years of fraud.
Do you feel some guilt about claiming OP? Could this be affecting your feelings atm?
Apologies I haven’t read the thread so don’t know what you have said here, but as someone who knows the system I know you will have had to go through an awful lot to be awarded those benefits. Please try not to worry, you are clearly entitled to them and they exist to help people like yourself.

that totally happened 😂

How do you know none of your neighbours are on any benefits? Surely that stuff is private.

You're claiming you think you're being stalked which sounds pretty intense.

Once you have a carer or helper with you, could you just knock the window and just politely ask them what they're doing?

I guess they wouldn't admit to being spies but if the reaction seems off then...actually I don't know. You can't stop someone parking in the street and sitting in the car. And they're not obliged to explain themselves to anyone.

As you say you've done nothing wrong so I'd try and ignore it honestly.

Could it be a good place to park up for a skive?

It could be evri drivers too, our local one has a driver and the driver sits & waits while the other does all the parcels for the street. Could be leaflet people, or even visitors for your neighbours and your just not noticing them getting in & out of their cars. X

My neighbour was under surveilance unknown to me but when i went outside to smoke something made me feel uneasy....a few days later a guy jogged past (i was smoking outside again) ...and around corner of other neighbours house ...i happened to look again and he had popped back and snapped me i kid you not i was shocked ! In time i found out about my next door neighbour had done something deemed naughty ....so if you feel uneasy youre probably on to something.