Caught for Fraud and arrested yesterday

[debbieb1980]

No excuses as I was caught red handed doing something I really should not have been doing.

I have been wrongly claiming whilst working due to a lot of money issues and now need to face the consequences of my actions.

My recent past caught up with me late yesterday evening when I was arrested at my workplace just before finishing my shift, I then had to go to the police station and have been in there til an hour or so ago.

Scared I will now end up in prison though if I do I know it is self inflicted, looking for any advice.

Don’t write a letter to the Police. Just get a solicitor and follow their advice. Also on a public forum I’m sure you won’t be surprised to have understandably a mixed response. Chances are this might also end up in your local paper if they report on cases on Court so be prepared for some back lash. It’s done now, I’m a few months it’ll be old news and you can move on.

*in

Thanks BlancheM

Yes I do feel sick right now, havent slept a wink and still in the same clothes I had on yesterday.

I have an appointment to speak to a soilicitor now later on this afternoon.

Well I have every sympathy for you. I understand what happens when you’re desperate. I really hope you can get some help. In future, never ever speak to police without legal representation, even if you’re innocent (in fact, especially if you’re innocent) - but you already know that :)

I prefer to save my wrath for the people screwing the country out of £35bn uncollected tax a year (and that’s just what they know about), which would cover the entire tax credits bill for the country. But no, let’s spend public money staking out a woman claiming £12k of benefits fraudulently for three months. Brilliant.

I think you've had an awful time with an all night stay in police cells.

There are clearly mitigating circumstances, you felt desperate with money issues, you have a daughter to care for. You've hardly been partying and saving for a trip to Disney World.
It's very unlikely that you'll get a custodial sentence if you are willing to repay the money plus fees. The court will accept an installment plan for that.

The best thing now is to get some rest if you can, eat something and try not to panic.
It'll be weeks before your court date so you have time to seek advice and find a solicitor.

I don't understand this thread. Why are the police involved in benefit fraud? Why are the police watching you for three months? It's a govt department that will do that, surely?

Well I have some sympathy for you. Hope it works out. You’ll probably have to repay it. I would be shocked if you did prison time.

I prefer to save my wrath for the people screwing the country out of £35bn uncollected tax a year (and that’s just what they know about), which would cover the entire tax credits bill for the country.

Good for you, but most people can care about more than one thing at a time, also you should use up to date figures, the £35Bn was 2013, and measures have been put in place and its been reduced to £12.7bn, I'm not saying that it isn't still too much but its a significant difference from the figure you quoted

By measures, you mean getting corporations involved in writing the tax laws so that they continue to get away with screwing the system but the figures look better?

Awesome.

Why are the police involved in benefit fraud? Why are the police watching you for three months? It's a govt department that will do that, surely?

The government department that deals with criminal activity is the police. This went beyond the normal dwp processes. Op what were you claiming and how much effort went into continuing to claim. Wht time frame are you talking about

£12k here, £5k there, £2k etc etc all adds up to around 2billion a year, would rather that money go to where it’s needed.

Since 2014 which is too long I know.

And actually the most recent figures I can find are for 2015/6 and are £34bn. Can’t see any figures for 2016/7 as yet.
fullfact.org/economy/tax-gap/

Where is your DD during all this? At 13, her DM just disappearing overnight must be frightening for her.

come on, the OP does know this is wrong and is facing up to it.

and it is wrong, all the 'don't grass benefit fraud is ok because it isn't big business types' would as usual be the first to ring the cops if they got burgled.

prison not necessary, OP can feed and house him/herself. The future financial and travel consequences of this as well as the immediate fine etc will be quite severe.

I suspect an aggravating factor was lying when interviewed (under caution?) - and that interview was when you should have obtained legal advice.

However, you are where you are and glad you're getting legal advice.

Is there any chance you will be able to keep your job or will a criminal conviction put paid to that?

My DD was staying with my sister last night as I had to make arrangements.

Of course it would be frightening for her and I am sorry I made this situation.

Cant say 100% though I am almost certain this could lead to dismissal from my job also.

The government department would be DWP - it wouldn't be the police. The police wouldn't be watching her for three months.

That is quite a substantial sum of money. At first when you said £2500 I thought it would be dealt with fairly leniently. I am surprised you were detained in a police cell though. You certainly need legal advice. The fact you denied it all and kept claiming will go against you. You must have been under huge stress to do that so see your GP and say you've had mental health problems through stress and money worries.

We’re in very different parts of the UK - I’m Channel Islands so what happens to you next will be different but I have been where you are for different reasons.

I got convicted of fraud in 2010/2011 for helping my mum with something that I honestly didn’t realise would be fraud. Naive maybe but anyway. I was arrested at 7am at my house and taken to the Police Station, processed and put in a cell. As was my mum.

I was there for most of the day being processed, interviewed etc and was released on bail - I suspect you’re on bail now? Like you, I didn’t have the duty solicitor because I didn’t realise what I had done was wrong so was happy to explain everything and be honest. And I’ve been brought up to respect the police so why did I need a solicitor if I wasn’t going to lie? It’s a decision you make when you’re in that situation and it’s not until afterwards you realise it might not have been the right situation.
You’ve done the right thing by getting a solicitor now, I also did that afterwards.

I had been under investigation for some time without knowing it. There were further investigations to be done so whilst that was happening, I was on bail and had to report to the police station every fortnight. Eventually it went to court where I was charged and I pleaded guilty. I was then released on bail again until I had to go back to court for sentencing. From first arrest in April 2010, I didn’t get sentenced until January 2011 and in beteeen I was on bail. I got community service which I completed in a few months and then actually carried on volunteering for the charity for about another year. My mum is still volunteering at the charity she did her community service with 7 years later!

Having a conviction for fraud has messed up a few things such as home insurance, travel to America (which was a big deal for me) but we got around them. I have to travel with a visa but that’s fine, I’ve got it. Insurance premiums went up but we still got cover.

With regard to work, there was a big issue because I work for the local government but I got through that and still work for the local government but in a different job.

There are consequences, as there should be, but you’re probably thinking right now that your future is going to be a mess but it really doesn’t have to be. I’m in a great place, technically my conviction is spent because it’s been over five years but that doesn’t apply for America and it may be different in Scotland.

As I said, the legal system wont be the same but I just wanted to share my story because I’ve been in your position and it’s probably all quite worrying and scary right now x

come on, the OP does know this is wrong and is facing up to it.

Because she's been caught, not because her morals caught up with her.

HollowTalk dwp can't arrest people for a criminal offence. Yes their investigators will be the ones who took the photos but it would then be handed over.

By measures, you mean getting corporations involved in writing the tax laws so that they continue to get away with screwing the system but the figures look better?

No, it would help if you understood what the tax gap is and where it comes from: imgur.com/eXvRX5v

It is not big business avoidance, The tax gap is the difference between what HMRC expects to receive in tax all things being equal and what it actually receives.

When others talk about much higher values, they're talking about closing loopholes that HMRC know about and have accounted for. Eg HMRC knows that Google is based out of Ireland and doesn't take into account their corporation tax.

Some definitions to note:

Non-payment mainly refers to tax debts that are written off by HMRC, primarily due to insolvency.

Failure to take reasonable care results from a customer’s carelessness and/or negligence in adequately recording their transactions and/or in preparing their tax returns.

Errors result from mistakes made in preparing tax calculations, completing returns or in supplying other relevant information, despite the customer taking reasonable care.

Hidden economy is income HMRC is not aware of, it's different to tax evasion since the entire activity is unknown, whereas with evasion income is understated.

Criminal attacks is stuff like smuggling in stuff and not paying VAT