Dole Fraud

Offthedole

My flatmate has been caught claiming the dole for the past year while he has been in college and not entitled to it.
It seems he has claimed about 10k during this time.
We did not know he was claiming the dole during this time and I completely disagree with what he did (I work fulltime). I cant believe how stupid he has been.
We are trying to figure out what might happen next. Could he be facing court or jail time?

PCPhoto

flatmate is more than likely facing a criminal prosecution for fraud ....get him/her to a solicitor and get some advice ...he/she might get a light sentence if they plead guilty at first possible opportunity and payback as much as possible.

Balagan

The rules have to be followed but I think the time has come for the rules to be changed to let people on dole who do not qualify for BTEA use their benefit payment to allow them to eat, have a roof over the head and study. To my mind, dole fraud while you are working is a different thing entirely to someone, who has little chance of any job here and whose parents are no longer in a position to fund them through education, trying to get an education so that they can go abroad with the hope of getting a job and having some kind of meaningful life.

douglashyde

I'm Dolelighted that he got caught.

mickos

Contact the social welfare and make arrangements to re pay the amount at a rate that he can afford. If he co operates fully he might not end up in court.

Vanbis

douglashyde wrote: »

I'm Dolelighted that he got caught.

Me too. I feel sorry for you OP your friend :rolleyes:

douglashyde

mickos wrote: »

Contact the social welfare and make arrangements to re pay the amount at a rate that he can afford. If he co operates fully he might not end up in court.

Does that mean if someone is caught robbing a bank they don't have to go to jail, they just have to give the money back?

Joey the lips

He will most likely have difficulty paying his rent and bills..... This is all I imagine you need to worry about...

As for arrangements. I dont know what age he is but if he was over 23 he can actually return to education and keep benefit... if he is under he will prob be considering moving back to the parents now.

Evolute

Haha This made my day I love the way youve only got one post op and you say its your flatmate? hehe:D
Your friend/you are boned They dont take too kindly to fraud

IrishTonyO

Social Welfare have been cracking down on fraud for the past year, in fact they have saved almost €500,000,000 last year as a result. They will most likely instigate legal action and he could be cut off from ever claiming benefits again.
He was a very foolish person as this will follow him for the rest of his life and causes major problems with any future claims he tries to make even if he is allowed to claim again. A lot of people are not allowed to claim social welfare again, and have to rely on the mercy of their local CWO.

Joey the lips

IrishTonyO wrote: »

Social Welfare have been cracking down on fraud for the past year, in fact they have saved almost €500,000,000 last year as a result. They will most likely instigate legal action and he could be cut off from ever claiming benefits again.
He was a very foolish person as this will follow him for the rest of his life and causes major problems with any future claims he tries to make even if he is allowed to claim again. A lot of people are not allowed to claim social welfare again, and have to rely on the mercy of their local CWO.

Mercy from the CWO.... Jesus I am in SVP and i would hate to be a CWO

Nolanger

Tell them it was an evening degree course.

cee_jay

Lads, word of warning. Please read the forum charter.
Please be tactful when replying to posts, remember that people are here to seek advice and may be in a very difficult personal situation. Any advice given should be mature, constructive and non-abusive. Excessive sarkiness & bullying will not be tolerated.
There is Zero Tolerance for posters being critical of those on benefits either individual posters or benefit claimants as a group.
Do not advocate, hint at, mention, talk about or otherwise mention any method of defrauding the Welfare or Health Board.

Balagan

douglashyde wrote: »

Does that mean if someone is caught robbing a bank they don't have to go to jail, they just have to give the money back?

No, it's better/worse than that! If you are, just say, a director of the bank and set up scams to rip it off during working hours, you don't have to pay the money back at all!

Surfing_Xboxer

Dole fraud..... his jail term will be means tested

mary55

How was he found out? Was he reported by someone?

wellieboot

I would think that he is on the list of students that all colleges send to DSFA and the Dept cross check using names, DoBs and PPSNs

Elessar

wellieboot wrote: »

I would think that he is on the list of students that all colleges send to DSFA and the Dept cross check using names, DoBs and PPSNs

I doubt very much that any college does this.

A friend of mine was caught claiming the dole for nearly 9 months while in college. He was only a few weeks away from graduating too :pac:

No action taken except he has to pay back over €6k via the social taking a tenner a week off him til it's paid. Not a bad deal I thought!

snubbleste

Elessar wrote: »

I doubt very much that any college does this.

A friend of mine was caught claiming the dole for nearly 9 months while in college. He was only a few weeks away from graduating too :pac:

No action taken except he has to pay back over €6k via the social taking a tenner a week off him til it's paid. Not a bad deal I thought

All colleges are obliged to do this.

It'll mean if he ever applies for welfare in the future he will be subject to extra scrutiny/hassle. Pesonally I think he should've had been prosecuted.

wellieboot

If a prosecution did ensue and he was convicted of Social Welfare fraud, think about the consequences-difficulties obtaining work/travel visas for USA/Australia and the resultant difficulties for future employment opportunities i.e. having to disclose such a conviction to any possible employer

Morlar

Elessar wrote: »

I doubt very much that any college does this.

To the best of my knowledge they do this or at least they used to.

How quick/thorough the dept are in acting on this information is another matter.

douglashyde

Morlar wrote: »

To the best of my knowledge they do this or at least they used to.

How quick/thorough the dept are in acting on this information is another matter.

I rang to ask them; but they arn't answering their phones from 9am - 1pm.

cee_jay

Elessar wrote: »

I doubt very much that any college does this.

A friend of mine was caught claiming the dole for nearly 9 months while in college. He was only a few weeks away from graduating too :pac:

No action taken except he has to pay back over €6k via the social taking a tenner a week off him til it's paid. Not a bad deal I thought!

I recently did an evening course, and there were posters up in the college regarding the transfer of information, and it does happen across the board.
http://www.welfare.ie/EN/Topics/PPSN/Pages/rou.aspx#education
That is a link to the welfare website, a lot of the colleges listed share the PPS numbers with DSFA

johnhargrove

While I don't condone someone taking the dole when they're not entitled to it, you have to keep in mind that there's a whole of people ripping the taxpayer off - the public sector, the banks, a financial regulator who didn't do their job, John O'Donoghue and his expenses.

shoegirl

He will definitely be ordered to pay it back over a period of time.

He will probably also be charged. Probably a suspended sentence. A very unwise idea. That said, I don't think it would outright prevent him from claiming again, just that they will crawl over every dot in his applications. Foolish move.