# Should I report suspected Social Welfare Fraud? and remain anonymous?



## blueshoes

Hi, 

I dont want to seem like a tell taylor or anything but my mum was here this evening, and we were chatting and theres a young couple who live next door to her with a baby who is 9 months old.  I asked how the baby was and she said oh fine and that the babys mum is now getting opf even though she is living with the dad. (he has a good income as well).  I am neary thinking of reporting her, i just dont think its fair. I dont even know the girl but why should she be getting that when they have a income.

Is there anyway she could get my name if i did report her?
What would anyone else do?


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## delgirl

There are loads of people like this around.  One of my friends lets a property to two people who are receiving €1,100 rent allowance plus Social Welfare Benefits.  He is working and has told my friend that he is working.  He owns an 06 Mercedes van and does the work for cash.

She's an honest person, but hasn't reported him.  He literally lives across the road from the local Social Welfare Office and they don't seem to have noticed that he's able-bodied, and as such should be out looking for work if he was genuinely unemployed, and that he goes to work everyday!

The system is wide open to fraud and, IMHO, the benefits are too high - he would have to earn a lot more than he is capable of to equal what he is receiving in benefits.


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## RainyDay

Mini Brennan was on the news yesterday explaining how the current policy is bad as it discourages stability by keeping fathers out of the family home - They are going to change the rules so that it doesn't matter where the father is living.


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## Ruth

To answer your question on whether you should report your mothers neighbour - I would advise that you mind your own business! A person in receipt of a opfa is entitled to let their child/ren spend time with their father; even if it is an overnighter in their own home. There is a DSCFA maintenance recovery system in place that is quite rigidly monitored and followed through;and it is highly possible that the father has been through the process. Did you think about this at all?
Do nothing.....


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## Ruth

delgirl said:
			
		

> There are loads of people like this around. One of my friends lets a property to two people who are receiving €1,100 rent allowance plus Social Welfare Benefits. He is working and has told my friend that he is working. He owns an 06 Mercedes van and does the work for cash.
> 
> She's an honest person, but hasn't reported him. He literally lives across the road from the local Social Welfare Office and they don't seem to have noticed that he's able-bodied, and as such should be out looking for work if he was genuinely unemployed, and that he goes to work everyday!
> 
> The system is wide open to fraud and, IMHO, the benefits are too high - he would have to earn a lot more than he is capable of to equal what he is receiving in benefits.


 
Yes there are loads of people like this around, perhaps he in on one of the "Back to Work" schemes - therefore entitled to work, maintain SW benefits and receive rent allowance (for a period of up to four years I think.)

Ruth


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## levelpar

Considering you yourself knowingly broke the law buying your "jazzy plates", I think you should remember the old saying  "people who live in glass houses should not throw stones"


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## gar123

but come on folks 

the system in this country allows people to abuse the system, it seems ruth is living a bit close to this story


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## askalot

Ruth said:
			
		

> Yes there are loads of people like this around, perhaps he in on one of the "Back to Work" schemes - therefore entitled to work, maintain SW benefits and receive rent allowance (for a period of up to four years I think.)
> 
> Ruth



Yeah! With an 06' van!


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## askalot

blueshoes said:
			
		

> I dont even know the girl but why should she be getting that when they have a income.



Interesting how nobody answered that question, instead people put up a range of reasons as to why she might legally be claiming the benefit. And she may very well be but then again she could be ignoring the rules because they don't suit her so I would recommend you report it as a possible case of fraud, she won't ever find out your name and if she is legit then she has nothing to worry about. These are our taxes and we have a duty to see that the deserving get the benefit.


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## Lauren

Frando....I totally agree re the glass-houses......


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## X-Man

i find it totally evil and darn right jealous about people who go out of their way to do such a thing as reporting someone.i work hard and pay eveything which i should do and when i see such people getting X or Y i say fair play.they must be entitled to it.

get on with your life and be happy with what YOU'VE got!!!!!

if they are in the wrong they will be caught in the long run.   don't forget that irish people are the most jealous and ignorant people if they see someone else getting something.

I would like to see this whole topic thrown off the site!!!!!    a disgrace to even mention this topic


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## BRICKTOP

Report her. Their taking money out of all our pockets.


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## Lauren

All sounds like heresay to me..How does anyone know what social welfare benefits the girl is receiving? Poster even admitted not knowing her...I think the post should be closed..


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## BRICKTOP

If she's doing nothing wrong she has nothing to worry about...


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## ubiquitous

BRICKTOP said:
			
		

> Report her. Their taking money out of all our pockets.



Does anyone really care? After all, no-one seemed to give a damn in 1997 when Caoimhghin O'Caolain TD was exposed as a Social Welfare fraudster. 

http://www.unison.ie/irish_independent/stories.php3?ca=36&si=784676&issue_id=7684



> And then there's Sinn Fein Sean agus Nua leader Caoimhghin O Caolain (Cavan-Monaghan), who, being resident in a border area and basking in the reflected glory of his cousin the republican icon Fergal O'Hanlon, killed with Sean South by policemen they were trying to murder is regarded in the North as a draft-dodger.
> 
> Sleeveen as he is known to the many people who can't bear his pomposity defrauded Social Welfare of about €20,000 between 1986 and 1991 by declaring his teacher wife to be a dependent.


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## Lyndan

Hey

I care but i dont think i would go as far as reporting someone.  I have cousins who are doing this and its annoying when they are out every weekend and i cant be.

One of my cousins has 2 kids with a man who already owns a house and has 2 kids with another woman.  my cousin gets rent relief and child benifit and a medical card and whatever else she can get, and she works part time.  This year for Christmas she bought her BF a plasma screen TV - €4k.  He took her to Spain for a week in Feb.  They are off to the Caribbean for summer (without the kids) and already have a shopping trip planned in Nov in NY.  He lives with her of course but cant say he is...

Annoying but i cant say that if i found a way of playing the system I wouldnt do it....


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## nelly

Having been raised by God fearing folks who kept saying - "you can never have luck for it" it being stealing off of the taxayer when you don't deserve it, it came as  ashock to see that folks screwing the system do get on just as well and are better off than i am. But it takes from the fact that there is real poverty out there and hopefully most of the people who get the state benefits use and benefit from them and get themselves out of the hle they are in. 
i still think i would rather live my  life the right way - not have children i can't afford to raise, unfortunately this means that if i was not married i probably could afford to raise them a whole lot better with "me entitlements". 
My mom used also say "you'll get your rewards in heaven" with my luck i am resigned to the fact that i gotta wait till then for a break!


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## blueshoes

The dad lives there all the time. The girls sister was caught last year for signing and recieving benefits and is now paying back over 4k.  I am not jealous of her (i dont even know her).  My mum is very friendly with her as she often babysits for her. She is not in any back to work scheme, as she has never worked she is 18 years old.


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## X-Man

blueshoes said:
			
		

> The dad lives there all the time. The girls sister was caught last year for signing and recieving benefits and is now paying back over 4k. I am not jealous of her (i dont even know her). My mum is very friendly with her as she often babysits for her. She is not in any back to work scheme, as she has never worked she is 18 years old.


 

if you are not jealous of her then why are you even thinking of reporting her!!   as for the girl in question.....i would tell her(if i knew her) to keep her personal business to herself as there are alot of jealous and very devious people out there who can cause alot of trouble simply because they are jealous!!


sorry blueshoes but my BP is high and i am a very honest taxpaying worker


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## BRICKTOP

Every honest tax payer has a duty to report suspected fraud! I repeat myself, she is taking money out of every tax payers' pocket and if it turns out she is doing nothing illegal, she has nothing to worry about.

People need to have personal responsibility and move away from the something for nothing culture.

If you believe she is committing fraud, report her.

I'll say no more.


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## X-Man

BRICKTOP said:
			
		

> Every honest tax payer has a duty to report suspected fraud! I repeat myself, she is taking money out of every tax payers' pocket and if it turns out she is doing nothing illegal, she has nothing to worry about.
> 
> People need to have personal responsibility and move away from the something for nothing culture.
> 
> If you believe she is committing fraud, report her.
> 
> I'll say no more.


 
then why are WE honest paying taxpayers paying for a service which is not working.why are the SW's spies not looking into this rather than some jealous noisey person who has nothing betterr to do than talk behind closed doors.on the other hand this person is babysitting for the accused!!!!

i am a tax payer but let the SW investigate themselves.are we going down the road of hanging ourselves just because X person got a new car or something else.

if the accused was a non-national then i would be branded a racist pig.BTW these people really know how to bleed the system and have done it for years...........

sorry people if i appear to be rude but this thread really really up-sets me.reporting a neighbour!!!!!!   jealousy


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## casiopea

Im having a really hard time following your logic x-man.



> are we going down the road of hanging ourselves just because X person got a new car or something else.



She isnt reporting them because theyve a new car, she's reporting them because they *might* be fraudently claiming SW.  If they are not then there's no problem surely?




> BTW these people really know how to bleed the system and have done it for years...........



So report them.



> sorry people if i appear to be rude but this thread really really up-sets me.



calling someone a noisy B**** doesnt appear to be rude, it is rude.



> reporting a neighbour!!!!!! jealousy



Again, Ive problems with your logic, jealousy has nothing to do with this issue.  You are entitled to let "the SW investigate themselves" (as you said yourself) as is the OP just as entitled to report fraudsters if he/she wishes to.  Jealousy doesnt come into it.

If these people arent fraudently claiming social welfare then they have nothing to worry about.


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## nelly

I am amaxed that loads of folks have posted on this topic and relatively few on the thread below - the honest couple, 4 kids, both working and taxed and trying to make ends meet. 
Surely we should be reporting possible fraudsters because there are good guys out there just above the bread line who could benefit if bands for medical cards etc were stretched - and they won't be if they are exausted by wasters who don't deserve them. 

I dunno how i would feel about blowing the whistle but then that is exactly what this country needs  a few whistle blowers eg Neary case.


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## Marie M

I personally could not report anyone, despite being annoyed by the whole system. You say she is only 18 and has young children, so what could happen if they were shopped, they could loose their home, have to face paying back thousands and the fact that they are living in rental income shows they wouldn't have the most stable of lives. The consequences of reporting could be awful. What would anyone gain? It would be the children that loose out in the long run.


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## X-Man

Marie M said:
			
		

> I personally could not report anyone, despite being annoyed by the whole system. You say she is only 18 and has young children, so what could happen if they were shopped, they could loose their home, have to face paying back thousands and the fact that they are living in rental income shows they wouldn't have the most stable of lives. The consequences of reporting could be awful. What would anyone gain? It would be the children that loose out in the long run.


 


marie,its good to hear some people have a heart.unlike some people who don't care about the end result.


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## Ruth

gar123 said:
			
		

> but come on folks
> 
> the system in this country allows people to abuse the system, it seems ruth is living a bit close to this story



Not living - but worked with...... 
Honestly; we've dealt with clients who have been put through hell by nosey neighbour reporting who do not know the facts. I'm sure there are some bad eggs out there, but most recipients are honest law abiding citizens who live on the SW poverty line.


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## ubiquitous

delgirl said:
			
		

> One of my friends lets a property to two people who are receiving €1,100 rent allowance plus Social Welfare Benefits.  He is working and has told my friend that he is working.  He owns an 06 Mercedes van and does the work for cash.



Its amazing in this type of story how the geezers involved are always cheeky enough to (1) work for cash (2) expose themselves to all sorts of hassle with Revenue by telling all and sundry that they do so (3) own a BRAND-NEW vehicle, and (4) a MERCEDES at that!!!


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## levelpar

For heavens sake, if blueshoes wants to report anyone, she should leave ordinary people alone and start a crusade investigating the  real fat cat crooks ripping us all off for hundreds of thousands.


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## ClubMan

Perhaps the individual cases of small scale tax and welfare fraud perpetrated in this country would add up to hundreds of thousands?


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## ClubMan

askalot said:
			
		

> blueshoes said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I dont even know the girl but why should she be getting that when they have a income.
> 
> 
> 
> Interesting how nobody answered that question
Click to expand...

Because one can earn a certain level of income and still qualify for this payment. See here.


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## blueshoes

She is co habiting with her boyfriend ever since the baby was born.  He earns 450p/w.  She is telling Social Welfare she is living at home with her parents, and doesnt know or have anything to do with the dad of her baby.  She keeps a cot, clothes and some other baby things at her parents house in case SW come to check up on her.  Her sister told her to do this (as ive mentioned before she was caught frauding the system and now paying back over 4k)  They are not on the poverty line from what I can see, he has a 04 car, there of to tennerife in 2weeks.  I just think there are alot more people out there that need this (geniune cases).


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## ClubMan

Ultimately it's your call to report suspected welfare fraud or not. If you do decide to report this case of suspected fraud then this might be of use to you.


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## Marie M

I hope you don't report them, you will feel no better for it, if anything you will feel guilty. Perhaps they will be caught out by the system themselves, there are far worse scams happening in the world, (I could go on and on) , so why pick on the people at the bottom of the pile, they are hardly offloading the extra money to offshore accounts.


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## z105

Don't feel guilty, go ahead and shop them to the Social Welfare


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## Marie M

Havealaugh said:
			
		

> Don't feel guilty, go ahead and shop them to the Social Welfare


I take it your username is ironic


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## ClubMan

This thread is going nowhere at this stage. If anybody wants to take the subject matter to _Letting Off Steam _then feel free to do so.


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