Fraud -should she tell.. what will happen

I have a friend who has recently told me that for 6 months last year she claimed unemployment assistance and worked. she got it because her mum cannot work and could not pay rent so she claimed rent allowance for her. My friend feels so bad about it and stopped doing it in december, but she wants to tell the social welfare what she's done so she can gradually pay it back. I think its a good idea, although i dont want her to be locked up. its her mother that is the real problem and she convinced her to do it. now she's a nervous wreck and wants to come clean. any ideas?

Re: Fraud,,, should she tell.. what will happen

Her best bet is to contact the Dept before the Dept contact her! Which may well happen when her employer submit PRSI returns for 2007. If she contacts the Dept first, it's less likely that the outcome will be prison - especially if she's willing to pay back the money.

Instead of calling in person, she could write a letter explaining the situation and offering to repay the money owed.

Re: Fraud,,, should she tell.. what will happen

She's no longer living with her mother because of this. so would this damage her mothers chance of ever getting a council house?

Re: Fraud,,, should she tell.. what will happen

I've just spoken to her and it seems there is more..... apparantly she was earning 300 euro per week and geting benefit. then in nov. her boss asked for pps number. she called her mother to get it. Only to find out recently that her mother had not given her pps number, but her fathers pps number, and he has been abroad for 24 years. her manager has not contacted her regarding it yet. she has recieved a tax cert for the year stating what she earned at the beginning of 2007 when she was working as normal. I'm really not sure how this works for her now. i believe her mother has seriously destroyed her future. any advice.? she does not want to get her mother into trouble, but shes no longer working and no longer claiming social welfare, and living with friends. i feel so bad for her being caught in this and i dont know what to do. her mum is hoping to evenually get a council house so she doenst want to get her mum into any trouble that would ruin it for her.ANY ADVICE... Please advise what I could do to help her, and more importantly what she should do. Thanks

Her mother is "destroying her future" adn she "doesn't want to get her mum into any trouble"?!? This needs to be sorted and will have to sink or swim herself. At the end of the day it is your friend that will suffer not her mother.

I posted a reply on the other thread that you posted regarding the fraudulent claim and how to deal with it. If her PRSI/tax was returned under a wrong PPSN, she needs to tell Revenue this as well in order to get her records straightened out. Otherwise her entitlements to SW benefits in the future will be compromised.

Re: Fraud,,, should she tell.. what will happen

freshface said:

i believe her mother has seriously destroyed her future.

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Eh? How so? Her mother made a mistake (?) and she may also have inappropriately claimed benefits which she seems willing to pay back/sort out. Neither issue cannot be rectified or should "destroy" her future!