accused of benefit fraud

[amanda serenity]

hello,,,,im a single parent of 4 boys,,,, i have had a benefit compliance officer round saying there has been a phone call to fraud hotline,,, they said the phone call was annonymous .i have had trouble with my ex with many accusations from nspcc to various things,,im under the voluntary domestic violence team and the police are involved,,the lady compliance officer came n apparantly was accused of working,,i havnt worked for 16 years...been raising my children,, and i suffer from depression and anxiety,,they have accused that my boyfriend lives with me,,,,again my boyfriend comes a couple nights a week,,,and has a place of his own,, he doesnt work and on esa ..i too an on esa....im realy worried what will happen next as i know its my ex and this isnt true,,,what investigations take place and what will the consequences be after the compliance officer has been,,,

 

thankyou,

 

your help n info would be great

[Desperate Daniella]

Hi amanda serenity, and welcome to CAG!

 

There are several people on the forum who will give you good advice, but they may not be around today, so please hold on and I will keep an eye on your thread to make sure you get help.

 

Many people here have had dealings with compliance officers and provided your documentation is in order I am sure this will be sorted out.

 

Presumably your boyfriend can show that he has his own place, is registered for council tax there, and so on?

 

If you haven't worked then they can't prove you have, so please don't worry.

 

DD

[maroondevo52]

Hello and Welcome,

 

I have moved this thread to the Benefits Forum, please continue to post here regarding this issue.

 

Thanks,

 

Scott,

[amanda serenity]

Thankyou. I'm new on here. Thankyou

[amanda serenity]

hello,,thankyou for feedback,,,i would like to say my boyfriend can prove what you mentioned,,and also at the moment i feel parranoid like im being watched,,,it feels uncomfortable knowing i have done no wrong,,through a mellicious benefits hotline call by my ex...there is a pattern of reports from him,,,,its just the waiting from hearing from the compliance team,,,, i just want to know the result then i can relax..i have never experienced this before ...and wandering do they do survelliance ,,its jus the fact i hate the thought of being watched...through this im staying calm thanks

[Bazooka Boo]

Try not to get worked up about them watching you, whilst I am sure this goes on, it probably goes on a lot less than they would like us to think.

 

This sounds very much like a vindictive complaint, which they forget to investigate the source as they couldn't care less.

 

IMO I would remind the so called 'compliance team' of the history of your ex, and that there is a current ongoing complaint with the police.

 

If they turn up, then either record the interview or have someone else with you. Remember they are on YOUR property so you call the shots.

If they are not prepared to be recorded then they don't have a case.

 

I doubt you have anything to worry about, this is clearly malicious and can be proved to be, by your complaint to the Police.

[amanda serenity]

thankyou very much,,am i able to call the complience team personally to explain more,,i have proof from previous accusations,,such as nspcc.. 2 coppers accusin me smokin cannabis,,,my car window smashed.,,,and various other issues,,its shokin i know its him but they wont talk with him without proof,,,all milicios calls,,,i just hope i can contact the complience team ,to explain more to them,,, thanks

[Bazooka Boo]

If it were me, I would write it all down or type it out, explaining that he has been reported to the police for making malicious calls and threats to various other organisations, and if it is found to be him again, that you wish for them to provide any evidence to the police to reinforce your case against him.

 

Talking with them over the phone, unless you can record the call, will be lost in translation, a hard copy of your concerns, especially that they will take the advice of an anonymous caller to open an investigation, is black and white, and they cannot deny that they misunderstood you.

 

If you send them anything, then at the very least obtain 'proof of posting' which is free from the PO counter.

[amanda serenity]

thankyou very much for your advice i will be writing a letter,,,, for my own peace of mind,,as you say a phone call isnt enough.,...i shall also photocopy it,,is there an address available please for the compliance place,,,it is so difficult as i just want to enjoy my 4 boys again.... thankyou so much for ur suggestions,,i will let u know how things are going thanks

[amanda serenity]

thankyou again,,i am nowputting pen to paper and going to send my police ref and the volutary domestic team letter,,,i have been v anxious all day n nervlous n not enjoyed the kids,,,,i want my peace back,,,,he deserves to get karma cum back to him,,,,,,,,,,,,thankyou

[Bazooka Boo]

Relax, calm down and compile the letter tomorrow when you've had a kip, or write down what you want to say now and then go over it tomorrow and edit to suit, sometimes the initial knee jerk reaction is not what you would have sent had you slept on it.

 

Google the 'Compliance team at DWP' in your area, have you not got any letters or emails from them?

[amanda serenity]

Helo. I sent letter n personally took it in because they are based at the jobcentre. I jus dislike the fact that they could be watchin me. I very doubt it jus through a hotline call. We can prove everything that partner has own address n we have nothin joint wat so ever and they can check my banks n his etc. All the compliance officer did was cum to my home n tuk a statement. I said I do not work in hairdressing n that my partner stays couple nights per week n she said if we find it false evidence then they wil b consequences. N yesterday I personaly gave letter in. There was no interview under caution. I think that's if they do suspect anything. My partner hasn't received any interviews. Its jus awful knowin I have had so many accusations to different organisations. What will b the next one. The police rang yesterday n I told em everything n how uncomfortable this is. Prob is I can't prove its him. The ex is the 1 whom workin n claiming and ex is v clever n discreet and does other unlawful things. Thanku for your time to suggeat. Thankyou

[jadeybags]

I THINK they can easily do data matching to see if someones mail etc goes to your house & they are likely to do that as soon as someone gives them a tip off. So they would already know no one is proven to be there, I would be surprised if they are sat outside your home watching you, they get a LOT of reports each week from the public, they just wouldn't have the staff to go sitting outside lots of houses each week. Especially if there are only 3 compliance/fraud staff like there is at our local council.

[Desperate Daniella]

I don't really think they are watching you. They wouldn't have the manpower to watch everyone.

 

Maybe you should report your ex. If they were investigating him he'd have that to worry about instead of causing problems for you.

[amanda serenity]

Thankyou v much jadeybags. Yes my partners post gos to his address n we have nothing joint. They can see the evidence by that. And proof of his address. However it was me they was interested in they only asked for I'd n no bank statements etc. And I personaly tuk a letter in yesterday to the compliance section to see if they wil trace the anonymous call. I'm fed up of the accustaions to other organisations. I hav reported to police everything. I have 13 alarms fitted on windows and under domestic violence voluntary team. I'm jus interested what investigations take place and it wasn't under caution n lady from team cum round. Very simple. She said it was to hotline. I'm feelin shaky as I have 4 sons n not enjoyin them at moment. I'm movin home in a month to get away from all the cobwebs. Its awful feeling parranoid. I'm on esa. N my boyfriend is on esa. So they have proof of his address etc. I'm so greatful for your responces thankyou. I will keep you all informed

[amanda serenity]

It hurts because I know its my ex and when I finished with him he started doin cash in hand and was claiming and smoking cannabis. And other stuf. He has smashed my back car windscreen jan n also cut my virginmedia wires round xmaz. Me n boys had no internet or phone for 5 days. N also reported me to nspcc sayin allsorts n reported me to police for smokin cannabis and 2 officers turned up. I fed up now. And everytime I reported n also they believed me they attended schools to check n great resuylts. What's next. Childline sayin I beat my kids up. My kids r so happy with me. I jus pray this comes to an end. Has anyone please got any numbers to talk to express about my situation. Thanku. I feel like a prisoner in my own home.

[amanda serenity]

The police need proof of my ex n that's the frustratin bit. Because he very discreet and puddles. Any sugestions please

[amanda serenity]

What investigations do they do at this stage. Its v early on

[jabba jones]

You have not been accused of benefit fraud by the DWP & no investigation will be currently taking place.

 

The allegation against you will have been looked at & down graded to the Compliance section straight away.

 

Compliance are not the same as FIS & do not conduct investigations. In a case like this they make sure your current award is correct, check you are aware of the rules & take statements to confirm this.

[amanda serenity]

Helo thankyou for this information. I thought compliance was very strict.so basically they gather evidence before your compliance visitor at my home. What are the caution ones based on where you have to go to jobcentre. The lady compliance visitor told me just before she left they then do investigations. I'm interested in what investigations they did and also if they find it dodgy with people. Is it the dodgy ones they then do a cautioned one. Its all new to me. I realy wanted to find true facts. So I been studyin n so many mixed opinions. I enjoy gettin feed back. Thankyou. I wil keep all informed

[amanda serenity]

So basicaly a compliance home visit is a conformation. The lady said if this is false info. This will be taken against you. She only wanted I'd n no bank statements. So all I wanted was the facts. The true facts. Cos if you never been through it it is scary if you don't understand

[amanda serenity]

I thought they used survelance.and look into facebook etc. I realise they would just turn up out of blue if I was doin somefin wrong. I hope my ex gets karma for mallicious reporting.

[amanda serenity]

The lady also said if you live together do a couple claim within a week. Why she say that

[jabba jones]

What are the caution ones based on where you have to go to jobcentre.

 

IUC's are done by the Fraud section when there is evidence to suggest an offence has taken place.

 

So basicaly a compliance home visit is a conformation. The lady said if this is false info. This will be taken against you.

 

The statement you signed can be used against you in a future investigation. You've basically signed to say your claim is correct & you know what to report should your circumstances change.

 

I thought they used survelance.and look into facebook etc.

 

The Fraud section do this. Not Compliance.

 

The lady also said if you live together do a couple claim within a week. Why she say that

 

She's just saying that if your partner really is living with you, then you have no excuse from now on & both need to sort your claims out asap. It's just a warning.

 

I'm interested in what investigations they did. I realy wanted to find true facts.

 

There are certain parameters, but basically FIS can downgrade a case to Compliance at any point in the investigation as long as the benefit is still in payment & an IUC invite letter has NOT been issued. So normally you cannot tell what investigations have taken place. However in your case, from the circumstances you have described, I can guarantee that as soon as your "alleged partner" was identified, the case would be sent to Compliance. So if he was named & ID'd in the allegation its highly unlikely the case even reached FIS in the first place.

[amanda serenity]

You are very helpful thankyou so much. How did they I'd my partner without calling him in or speaking to him. Was it on his photo I'd etc.