to report or not

LegacyUser

a relation of mine is scamming the welfare system,and i think i should report it,im just looking for some advice on what to do really,where do i do it?is it confidential?someone was saying something about a reward for doing it,its not the reason im reporting them just what ive heard.Im sick of paying taxes while people like this get to live the good life by scamming the state

dudara

OK posters - stick to the topic - no off-topic posts on scamming welfare etc

dudara

tfak85

i have to say i think i would report it..
you don't say whether it's a major scam or a little one but this may influence your decision...
it's a tough one alright...
you say they're living the good life while you're paying taxes and i would feel exactly the same way..
i wouldn't know where to go to do it though, tax office perhaps?

LegacyUser

op here,theyre been scamming for almost two years id say,i know people are doing a lot worse but i still think that with the way the country is every little helps you know?i was looking it up there and i think i can send an annomyous e mail to the main office,not sure though

LegacyUser

I know several people at this and had the same dilemma as you OP, and I elected against reporting the offenders for the following reasons.


1) It wouldn't make me feel better. I would feel like a rat.
2) I had no idea if anything would actually come of making the complaint or whether it would be stuck in a file somewhere and forgotton.
3) The system is such that it can be easily exploited and the powers that be seem not to care. One guy I know actually recieved advise from a welfare inspector as to how to qualify for the dole (the inspector told him to claim he lived in a vacant property that another family member owned even though this was not the case).
4) people have been at this craic since time out of mind, we only care about it now because we are getting raped for taxes these days, which to my mind is not a good enough reason to suddenly become irate at it.


You just need to decide whether doing this will make you feel better I suppose.

Overheal

You can report it, and Im sure you can do it anonymously. The only question is Burden of proof, but thats a matter between welfare and the neighbour - wether they have to prove he's frauding or he has to prove he's actually looking for work and is currently unemployed and not doing any volunteering. Either way you can guarantee your anonymity. Just email them from a new web account or something. They arent going to CSI you for tipping them off, though they may ask you questions about the situation. Its entirely up to you how much information you may want to divulge.

I say fire off an email and see what reply you get. You can always back out if they write back asking for your personal details.

Zaph

Overheal wrote: »

I say fire off an email and see what reply you get. You can always back out if they write back asking for your personal details.

Actually it appears that you can report fraud completely anonymously. From the Department of Family and Social Affairs website:

Reporting possible fraud

The Central Control Section of the Department of Social and Family Affairs accepts reports of possible fraud offered by members of the public in relation to the Department’s schemes.

Reports are accepted by email, phone or in writing. All reports are dealt with in confidence. A member of the public may give details anonymously.

Contact Details:

By email: central.control@welfare.ie

By phone: (01) 704 3000, ask for Central Control Section,

By Post: Central Control Division, Shannon Lodge, Carrick-on-Shannon, Co Leitrim.

Overheal

there you go. even betterrer.

LegacyUser

cheers for the replys guys,i gave them a ring earlier,wait and see what happens i guess