I reported SW fraud and now I feel awful...

LegacyUser

in a moment of madness, I've reported someone very close to me for social welfare fraud and I feel sick that I've done it. I won't go into the detail here, but she is completely scamming the system of about 20,000 a year in rent allowance, lone parents allowance and other bits & bobs that she claims, all while her boyfriend lives with her. They are living in his (bought) home and claiming that she is a tenant,(he claims to live at his parents) and she's getting rent allowance. they have 3 children. he is in a decent job and they have 2 cars. I am struggling to cope financially big time, and the straw that broke the camels back came yesterday when she dropped in and asked me if she could browse my internet to look for a girlie-holiday...I honestly can't afford my rent this week and have to borrow for it.
I don't think I thought through the ramifications of what will happen to her now that social welfare have been told about her, or if indeed, they will do anything? Our children are friends and I'd hate to see them have to move...I feel awful and barely slept last night but I knew when I rang yesterday, that I was doing it for the right reasons. did i do the right thing and has anyone done anything similar and how did it make u feel?

Taltos

It is natural to feel bad.
However, you - me and every other tax payer are footing the bill for her choice in lifestyle.

I know some will call you every name under the sun - but to me I think you are a star.

ppink

I wonder if she has ever felt bad for screwing the rest of us over? if everyone in the country decided to do as she does what swanny would the country be donw then I wonder.

dont feel bad

Not only the right thing to do, but in a sense you may have done them a favor.

Many people do get caught eventually for this. Which is better do you think. To be caught now... or in 3 or 4 years when the quantity of money they owe back to the state is much higher.

There are too many problems people have that other people will do nothing about... closing their eyes and preferring instead to wait till the problem is much much much worse.

Even if people hate you for stepping in, sometimes stepping in is the right thing to do if it prevents them getting into much worse trouble for essentially the same thing later.

Daisy M

I think you did the right thing. Perhaps it would be different if her bf wasnt working and they were struggling to keep the roof over their heads. It not up to other taxpayers to fund their lifestyle, you did the right thing.

jimmycrackcorm

I applaud your action. Social Welfare fraud is endemic only because many people who are in a position to report it have some ties to those and it is difficult to do so.

During the boom nobody cared as everyone was doing well but these days it just becomes so apparent that taxpayers are carrying the can for people who are abusing the system. Your friend is taking money from your pocket and mine through her actions - just remember that.

LegacyUser

they have been living like this for years - at least 5 that i know of. he bought the house next door to me 5yrs ago and they had been renting before that. they claimed that she was living there alone and that he was the owner, so that she would get rent allowance. she gets 992euro per month rent allowance for the house (she tells me everything) and claim the 'rent' is 1100. In fact, his mortgage is just under 900...- his name is not on any of the childrens birthcerts so it was easy enough for them to do. omg, they will probably owe over 100,000 back...I do stand by my guns and I do know it was 'right', but god i feel awful.

ongarboy

You did the right, decent, moral and civic thing and fair play to you. It's normal to feel a sense of guilt if you know the person but consider this the same as reporting illegal dumping, dangerous driving, ringing Crimestoppers or Crimeline with information that will prevent future crimes etc. Like insurance fraud, people seem to think dole fraud is a victimless crime - it's not, we all become victims as we (and you) taxpayers are footing the bill of these undeserving scammers indulgent lifestyles. You are paying for her sun holidays abroad while you can't afford a weekend in Wexford!

Regarding your concern about your kids losing their playmates, if the BF owns the house, then I don't see why she and the kids would have to move? Or is it not possible for her to live an honest life where she is not getting taxpayer handouts for everything?

Well done - you are to be applauded!

fungun

You didthe right thing.

As others have said, Id feel bad if they were on the breadline and struggling to make ends meet. But if they have 2 cars & plenty of cash then you were clearly in the right.

Just dont ever break down and tell them i was you!!!!

Penn

People who do it think they're just taking a bit of extra money from the government. But they aren't. All of them are taking a lot of extra money from all of us.

You were right to do what you did but it's just always harder when it's someone close to home. It's in the Social Welfare's hands now. Whatever happens is up to them and is nobodies fault but her own.

cantdecide

I don't think I would have done what you did but I'd be very put out to see them get away with that for so long. I admire you for doing what I wouldn't have the balls to do.

It's her fault for being so obnoxiously indiscrete about her dishonesty.

Overheal

That awful feeling you have is the awful feeling they should have had, and none of it would have happened if they did.

If they're really in a position with 2 cars and good job(s) to be self-sufficient, then 100k is not going to kill them. They may well have to lose the house or something of that nature but they won't starve or be thrown out on the street corner. And if they can't learn how to live on their own income without scamming income off the welfare system at the same time, that's their own business when plenty of people manage to get by with no job at all.

LegacyUser

I'd never tell her it was me.

Oh god, can SW tell her it was me? i gave sw my phone number, not my name - could they pass on my number to her so that she'd find out it's me?

As anxious as I am, i am a recently seperated mother who works full time to support me and my 2 children and I've just had enough of her yabbering on about needing money for this, that and the other, when she knows I struggle daily to keep bread on the table.

Bottle_of_Smoke

unregistered wrote: »

they have been living like this for years - at least 5 that i know of. he bought the house next door to me 5yrs ago and they had been renting before that. they claimed that she was living there alone and that he was the owner, so that she would get rent allowance. she gets 992euro per month rent allowance for the house (she tells me everything) and claim the 'rent' is 1100. In fact, his mortgage is just under 900...- his name is not on any of the childrens birthcerts so it was easy enough for them to do. omg, they will probably owe over 100,000 back...I do stand by my guns and I do know it was 'right', but god i feel awful.

Eh. . . hope you're using fake figures. Public forum and all that.

unregistered

unregistered wrote: »

but god i feel awful.

I think generally the consensus of everyone here is that you have no reason to. We appear to think you did the right thing, and so do you.

If you have to feel awful about something, the only thing I think you can even slightly validly feel awful about is not having done it sooner.

edanto

Thanks for reporting them. For me and everyone else that knows people who are finding things very tough at the moment, it makes me a little angry that scroungers are theiving money from the rest of us.

I wish we had more brave people like you around the place. It is a scandal that they were stealing so much.

LighterGuy

Op, life is not black and white. Life is a grey area.

You say your kids play with their kids and she also popped in to your house to use the net. So it sounds like you are 'friends' ... so basically you hung a so called mate and not out of your morals, but out of jealously.

Im not saying that its fair as you say you got it harder than they do. But thats life. You could be friends with someone else who is minted but have worked for it ... then what? ... you'd be jealous of them too right? but wouldnt be able to pick up a phone to hang them.

Your conscience is playing at you know because although you keep saying "i was doing the right thing" - you were doing anything but that. Jealously and begrudgary was at hand.

LegacyUser

LighterGuy wrote: »

Op, life is not black and white. Life is a grey area.

You say your kids play with their kids and she also popped in to your house to use the net. So it sounds like you are 'friends' ... so basically you hung a so called mate and not out of your morals, but out of jealously.

Im not saying that its fair as you say you got it harder than they do. But thats life. You could be friends with someone else who is minted but have worked for it ... then what? ... you'd be jealous of them too right? but wouldnt be able to pick up a phone to hang them.

Your conscience is playing at you know because although you keep saying "i was doing the right thing" - you were doing anything but that. Jealously and begrudgary was at hand.

Em NO! why would i be jealous of someone who works hard for their money?

yes you're right, i begrudge the fact that she gets to spend her days at home with her children while i pay a creche to mind mine, but i don't think that's reason enough not to report them, do you?

musicinyou

LighterGuy wrote: »

Op, life is not black and white. Life is a grey area.

You say your kids play with their kids and she also popped in to your house to use the net. So it sounds like you are 'friends' ... so basically you hung a so called mate and not out of your morals, but out of jealously.

Im not saying that its fair as you say you got it harder than they do. But thats life. You could be friends with someone else who is minted but have worked for it ... then what? ... you'd be jealous of them too right? but wouldnt be able to pick up a phone to hang them.

Your conscience is playing at you know because although you keep saying "i was doing the right thing" - you were doing anything but that. Jealously and begrudgary was at hand.

+ 1

Have to agree with lighther guy! its pretty bad what you done, so she’s claiming here and there and what not, I have no issues with people taking what they can, im a worker I pay my taxes and more taxes, she claimed illegally but its nothing the banks and the heads of social welfare depts. haven’t done!

bad times :O(

KittyeeTrix

No matter what my feelings are on SW fraud I could never drop a friend in it like that!!
Please god for the sake of yer "friendship" she never learns the truth.....

Edit: I suppose I'm trying to say that whilst you may have acted as the good upstanding moral citizen in reporting SW fraud you did not score very high at all as a friend!

Forever Hopeful

musicinyou wrote: »

+ 1

Have to agree with lighther guy! its pretty bad what you done, so she’s claiming here and there and what not, I have no issues with people taking what they can, im a worker I pay my taxes and more taxes, she claimed illegally but its nothing the banks and the heads of social welfare depts. haven’t done!

bad times :O(

Is this attitude that got this country into the state it is right now! Op is to be admired for taking a stand on this.
Its not jealousy, its seeing a friend deliberately scr*w the system for anything they can get. Genuinely hard done by people are entitled and I feel sorry for those unemployed, who have to emigrate but the rest of us who were unemployed, felt the shame of taking social welfare and worked hard to get re employed are being taken for a ride by those who have no concience.

LegacyUser

Hi op..

I reported some one last week , have reported them before but nothing was done.... Basically an acquaintance of mine is living in her own home with her 3 children and her boyfriend...her boyfriend moved in 3 years ago and owns his own house also, which is rented out .She is claiming single parents allowance, mortgage relief , medical cards etc etc , she even has the st, vincents de paul paying some of bills and have previously paid for appliances etc for her home when they broke. ( I was shown the receipt!) She is also receiving maintenance on the side from the 2 fathers of her children. They have 2 cars, holidays , the kids were next, marks and spencers, debenhams and river island clothes, trainers and shoes are always branded and blatantly so !! She bought her xmas decorations in Next this year !!! He boyfriend is state employed and on an excellent wage which would comfortably support a family.
It galls me that I work hard to provide for my family and we have months where we struggle and cant afford a holiday this year and our kids ask why cant we but so and so can and they dont work ! what do you say ?!
Now i dont know whether if the last time I reported her she was investigated and lied her way out of it or that no notice was taken of my complaint. She has been very careful to make sure nothing belonging to him was ever sent to the house and all bills are registered in her name only but they slipped up recently and he has registered at her address to vote as i met them at the same polling station as me and realised this as his house would be in another constituency ( www.checktheregister.com is a goldmine also as verification !) I just wonder now if anything will now be done .

I dont feel bad op , i consider this my duty , the country is f**ked and we all need to do everything we can to get it back on the right track....people that are so obviously abusing the system have to be stopped and punished ...If nothing happens to these people whats stopping more and more people doing it ...

Penn

musicinyou wrote: »

+ 1

Have to agree with lighther guy! its pretty bad what you done, so she’s claiming here and there and what not, I have no issues with people taking what they can, im a worker I pay my taxes and more taxes, she claimed illegally but its nothing the banks and the heads of social welfare depts. haven’t done!

bad times :O(

I'm sorry, but that's ridiculous. Whether or not 'the banks and heads of social welfare departments' have illegally claimed money or not, that is absolutely no justification for claiming more money than you are entitled to.

Social Welfare was designed to help those in need. The OPs friend didn't need to claim that much, and wasn't entitled to claim that much. They lied and cheated to take money which could be use to help those less fortunate. The OP was completely justified in her actions.

If I admitted here that I was getting 2,000 a month from the social welfare while working 2 part time jobs cash-in-hand, would that be okay? No. Cop on.

She is making a mockery of the system and deserves to be investigated if I'm being perfectly honest. especially if she's flaunting the cash around. People like the OP who struggle to have enough money while obeying the rules are being punished for the actions of those who abuse the system. If people only took what they were entitled to, there'd be more money to give out to those in need.

OP, I don't believe you did it out of jealousy. I think you did it because you know how unfair it is to obey the rules and see those who abuse them get off scot-free. I think you were completely right, and whatever happens is what should have happened to her ages ago.

Sleepy

musicinyou, fluffyorganic1, why don't the two of ye fund the OP's next door neighbour's mortgage for them then? Myself and thousands of other tax payers are struggling to pay our own way in life withouth having to pick up the tab for the thieving cvnts.

Well done OP.

Chucky the tree

If you were doing it because you morally objected then far enough but doing it out of spite and jealousy is pathetic.

CdeC

I would feel awful too, normal enough but you did the right thing.

The country is f**ked and we cannot afford to be dishing out money. There is a welfare system there to help people who really need it or are looking for a job, not to support their lifestyle. I am sure your friend is one of many doing this and I am unsure of what will be done about it but I would recommend anyone suspicious of fraud to report it as it is unfair that the taxpayer should fit the bill.

tinkerbell

Thank you for reporting her. You did absolutely the right thing and you should not feel bad. She is stealing from you, me and every other tax payer in this country. Why should she be left get away with it? I don't think so.

wylo

im not happy saying this but they mightnt actually do anything, I know of 2 people that had been reported and neither heard anything (not that anyone asked them but they knew them well enough to know they were still scamming the system).

KittyeeTrix

Sleepy wrote: »

musicinyou, fluffyorganic1, why don't the two of ye fund the OP's next door neighbour's mortgage for them then? Myself and thousands of other tax payers are struggling to pay our own way in life withouth having to pick up the tab for the thieving cvnts.

Well done OP.

I am saying what she did was right from a upstanding citizen point of view but as a friend point of view it's not something I could have done........Obviously the girl is feeling bad after it and this is probably why I would've struggled to do the same thing especially if I was very close to the person who was frauding!!!

I'm not giving out to her:(,

The girl asked for opinions on her actions and I gave mine.............

irishdude11

It is a good thing to report social welfare cheats, however from your point of view this is not a black and white issue as she is, supposedly, a very close friend of yours.

Your options -

1. Report her and end the friendship, understandable, you found her behaviour unnacceptable.
2. Say nothing and maintain the friendship, understandable, you are doing it out of loyalty to a friend.
3. Report her and remain friends with her, not ok, it means you stabbed a close friend in the back and are as two faced and sly as they come.

You are feeling so guilty because you are going down the option three route. You should have been prepared to end the friendship if you were going to report her, I mean how can you actually be her friend now that you have deliberately betrayed her and potentially landed her in very serious trouble (which she deserves for scamming).

If I found a friend's behaviour so objectionable that I was going to report them to the authorities I would no longer want them as a friend anyway.

King of Kings

LighterGuy wrote: »

Op, life is not black and white. Life is a grey area.

blah...blah ...blah......

you are off the wall.

OP I congratulate you - too many lighterguys walking around with a nod and a wink to their pals. Everybody is friends with somebody - at that logic nobody would report anybody...oh yeah wait - that's got this country got in the current mess , nobody took a stand.

Every welfare cheat is taking a special needs assisant away from a needing child. When you put it like that - it's sounds as lousy as it truely is.

As for the bitterness - who wouldn't feel agrieved with a thief booking a holiday while a hard worker is struggling..

LighterGuy

King of Kings wrote: »

you are off the wall.

OP I congratulate you - too many lighterguys walking around with a nod and a wink to their pals. Everybody is friends with somebody - at that logic nobody would report anybody...oh yeah wait - that's our this country got in the current mess , nobody took a stand.

Every welfare cheat is taking a special needs assisant away from a needing child. When you put it like that - it's sounds as lousy as it truely is.

As for the bitterness - who wouldn't feel agrieved with a thief booking a holiday while a hard worker is struggling..

and there are too many hypocrites in life. How many people con the social welfare compared to downloading, or who had those "dodgy ntl boxes" that recieved free illegal NTL up until 2 years ago... thousands of people had them and millions still download illegally...

so king of kings, alot of people in life choose when and when not to be moralistic. How many people do you know who download music? obviously quite a few. did you report them to Sony music? bgm? etc etc. No you did not.

I have seen social walfare fraud being reported before. and in every case I have seen it, it was always because a party was jealous or an action was done against them. Your stance is that social welfare cheats should be reported. then fine but lets call a spade a spade. "moralistic duty" is always the official reason as to why people report, but always a true reason.

chocgirl

Well done OP, if there were more people around like you we would be far better off as a nation. Don't feel guilty at all, they shouldn't be scamming the system and are setting a bad example for their children.

wylo

LighterGuy wrote: »

and there are too many hypocrites in life. How many people con the social welfare compared to downloading, or who had those "dodgy ntl boxes" that recieved free illegal NTL up until 2 years ago... thousands of people had them and millions still download illegally...

so king of kings, alot of people in life choose when and when not to be moralistic. How many people do you know who download music? obviously quite a few. did you report them to Sony music? bgm? etc etc. No you did not.

I have seen social walfare fraud being reported before. and in every case I have seen it, it was always because a party was jealous or an action was done against them. Your stance is that social welfare cheats should be reported. then fine but lets call a spade a spade. "moralistic duty" is always the official reason as to why people report, but always a true reason.

You cant compare downloading music or using dodgy boxes with scamming the system.
When illegal downloading/using dodgy boxes etc the loser is a private company/band whatever. When someone in your neighbourhood is scamming the system the loser is everyone around them, even other unemployed people who pay tax through vat etc.
So what if it stems from jealousy, its justified jealousy, not venomous jealousy. Its when you see someone living the good life and your not because your doing the correct thing and paying your way.
Fair play OP, everyone needs to report ALL the time, it will help (even if in a small way)get the country back on track.

LighterGuy

wylo wrote: »

You cant compare downloading music or using dodgy boxes with scamming the system.
When illegal downloading/using dodgy boxes etc the loser is a private company/band whatever. When someone in your neighbourhood is scamming the system the loser is everyone around them, even other unemployed people who pay tax through vat etc.

fair enough. I can accept that.
so basically... to sum up your point downloading music/movies, dodgy boxes (etc) is completely different to SW fraud because it doesnt effect you. And thats what it comes down to ... you. Thats fair enough i guess. Even tho stealing is stealing. But where does morals come into it? ... so what is "the right thing"

everyone is saying is this thread they shoud always report SW fraud (fair enough) ... so the only reason people do so is because it "effects them" (there tax paying for, etc) so ... as long as I do something, albeit illegal, as long as it doesnt effect you? then its ok right? thats what you are saying you know. To quote you "the loser is the private company/the band whatever" - so what are morals? so what is the right thing? ... depending of what side of the fence you're on?

wylo wrote: »

So what if it stems from jealousy, its justified jealousy, not venomous jealousy. Its when you see someone living the good life and your not because your doing the correct thing and paying your way.
Fair play OP, everyone needs to report ALL the time, it will help (even if in a small way)get the country back on track.

It is venomus jealous. To do an act to change someones situation is crossing the line from jealously to being venom.

purity

Personally I would of done the same thing, I work full time and pay taxes, pension levy, usc, prsi and etc. I hate to think that people would leech off the system. I also know of someone that is scamming the social welfare I am constantly holding myself back from reporting her. She is a friend of the family and I know I would lose contacts if I reported her. Sometimes I feel I'm better off quitting my excruciating hard job and doing what they do :mad:

Fittle

LighterGuy wrote: »

It is venomus jealous. To do an act to change someones situation is crossing the line from jealously to being venom.

What a heap of sh1te.

So what if the OP is jealous?
So what if she's full of venom?
So what if she reported these scammers for the 'wrong' reasons in YOUR opinion!

It's people like the OPs neighbour who have this country in the state it's in ffs!!

The state (us, we, taxpayes) are paying this fella's mortgage and he has the audacity to take the rent allowance cheque from his girlfriend, who he lives with, and lodge it in his own bank account to pay his own mortgage!! And he's living there himself!!

And you have the stupidity to preach about 'moral venom' to the OP?

Are you insane??

These neighbours are taking AT least twenty thousand euro of taxpayers money every year and the only thing you can do is accuse the OP of being venomous I've really heard it all now:mad: No wonder we're in sh1te when people think the person who should be condemned in this situation is the person who is doing the right thing!

OP, I salute you and wish there were more people like you in this godforsaken country of ours!!!!!!!!!!

LighterGuy

ok fittle. i accept that.
could you please reply back to the first part of my post aswell?
kinda seems you are over-looking bits to what you can argue with.

to quote myself:

fair enough. I can accept that.
so basically... to sum up your point downloading music/movies, dodgy boxes (etc) is completely different to SW fraud because it doesnt effect you. And thats what it comes down to ... you. Thats fair enough i guess. Even tho stealing is stealing. But where does morals come into it? ... so what is "the right thing"

everyone is saying is this thread they shoud always report SW fraud (fair enough) ... so the only reason people do so is because it "effects them" (there tax paying for, etc) so ... as long as I do something, albeit illegal, as long as it doesnt effect you? then its ok right? thats what you are saying you know. To quote you "the loser is the private company/the band whatever" - so what are morals? so what is the right thing? ... depending of what side of the fence you're on?

k4899g

Well done, the country needs more like you.

eilo1

I think the OP is right to report social welfare fraud as it is a dreadful crime.

But to do it to some one you call a friend with out giving her a chance to do the right thing is just wrong.

Could you not have spoken to her and told her it was playing on your conscious or made up a story to scare her in stopping.
Basically it looks like there are lots of other things you could have done to try and influence her to do the right thing before you reported her.

She has 3 children to think about and now may face a prison sentence. I could not do that to one of my friends with out doing everything in my power to get her to do the right thing herself.

Fittle

'fair enough. I can accept that.
so basically... to sum up your point downloading music/movies, dodgy boxes (etc) is completely different to SW fraud because it doesnt effect you. And thats what it comes down to ... you. Thats fair enough i guess. Even tho stealing is stealing. But where does morals come into it? ... so what is "the right thing"

everyone is saying is this thread they shoud always report SW fraud (fair enough) ... so the only reason people do so is because it "effects them" (there tax paying for, etc) so ... as long as I do something, albeit illegal, as long as it doesnt effect you? then its ok right? thats what you are saying you know. To quote you "the loser is the private company/the band whatever" - so what are morals? so what is the right thing? ... depending of what side of the fence you're on?#



No one - only you - has mentioned morals here.

It doesn't matter why the OP reported her friend - perhaps she's not really her friend after all - perhaps she hates her and has always hated her - perhaps she's black/chinese/a traveller/from outer space.

It doesn't matter.

What matters is that the money that is paying that guys mortgage is MY MONEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The money that is feeding those 3 children is MY MONEY!!!!!!!!! If the boyfriend had enough money to buy his own home only 5yrs ago, he obvioulsy has a decent enough job to have gotten a mortgage in 2006, which means MY MONEY should not be feeding his children, paying his mortgage and no doubt, putting petrol in his fcuking car!

Who cares about morals when music is downloaded in relation to this particular thread? Your question about 'morals' in relation to what is right and what is wrong should be in the Humanities forum, not here.

People who download music illegally do not affect me. They affect the recording artists. Which is why the recording artists and whoever else involved in the music industry, reports them! Not me.

Fittle

eilo1 wrote: »

Basically it looks like there are lots of other things you could have done to try and influence her to do the right thing before you reported her.

She has 3 children to think about and now may face a prison sentence. I could not do that to one of my friends with out doing everything in my power to get her to do the right thing herself.

You don't SERIOUSLY think that if the OP has approached her friend, they would have stopped and declared their fraud themselves do you

The neighbour should take responsibility for her own children and should NOT have committed fraud for at least 5yrs knowing that she might go to prison for it - it is the neighbours responsibility to think about her own children - it's not the OP's responsibility!!!

Zaph

LighterGuy, this thread is about social welfare fraud, not illegal downloading. Please stay on-topic and stop questioning other posters. All future comments should be directed to the OP, and that goes for everyone else too.

Maple

King Of Kings, no more personal digs at other posters please.

Fittle, rein it in and watch your tone.

Maple

OP, I wouldn't have the balls to do what you did, well done.

If nothing comes of this, don't be afraid to report her again. But I'd avoid her if I were you, even though you did the right thing in reporting her, it wouldn't be right to continue as her friend after this. Reporting her wasn't wrong, but looking her in the face as a friend every day would be morally questionable to say the least. Don't feel bad though, there are people out there that really need social welfare but don't fully fit the requirements, and are too honest to get the help they need. The knowledge that so many people are willing to lie to get their hands on whatever they can while others struggle is disgusting. Especially when they're willing to flash their ill-gotten cash about like your friend.

LighterGuy

Zaph wrote: »

LighterGuy, this thread is about social welfare fraud, not illegal downloading. Please stay on-topic and stop questioning other posters. All future comments should be directed to the OP, and that goes for everyone else too.

I was saying stealing is stealing.
like a person downloads tons of movies, music (or whatever we do in our lives. no one is perfect) then has a view that reporting SW fraud is perfectly ok, and the only reason do they so is out of jealousy/begruding what they have? rather than the act?... theres nothing right about that. It hypocrissy or petty.

But anyways, all my posts have just been talking about the hypocrissy of it all. The old "what side of the fence you are on" saying ... (the one being done to, or the one doing onto etc) that is what matters in life. Which brings me to the truth about this whole thing... like everything in life. What side of the fence. If your average person lost their job and could get away with SW fraud ... or in a situation to do it ... you'd see alot of nay-sayers just doing that :rolleyes: Life is about what you can get in life, cause it aint fair.

Is SW fraud wrong? yes.
Does reporting SW fraud out of doing the right thing exsist? no.
Is reporting SW fraud out of jealously, begrudary etc wrong? yes.


So op,
whats done is done. you reported her. the past is the past (doing so bad or good is irrelevant) But coming here to see if your actions were justified, either way, doesnt mean a thing. Because you are in the only one in the situation and have to face any consequences. There for my opinion and others opinions dont mean jack. Since you know so much about her situation its obvious she told you alot personally. And if anything comes about you are obviously going to be suspected. As another person said eariler in the thread, if this happens this is where the true you will come out ... to either distance yourself from him and her or be as slippery as them and act like you couldnt do such a thing. Either way you did what you did. Stick to your guns ... even if sh*t happens.

hatz7

Damn right you did the right thing.
Feeling bad is normal reaction, but doing the right thing is never easy.
That person was quite simply taking the piss.

you are a good person who made the right decision.

LBD

Too right am I jealous of the bare faced cheek of the people who defraud the system. I am jealous every morning when I have to get out of bed at 6.30am to head to a job I HATE. I was jealous this evening when putting another 45euro petrol in my car after already spending 40 since Sunday JUST to get myself half way across the city. I was jealous when easytrip took another 60quid this month for the toll bridge for the same soul destroying job. I was jealous when we received a letter from PTSB stating our repayment was going up a hundred euro and god yeah I was jealous when myself and my partner felt physically sick at how the hell we are going to repay this

I am jealous every weekend when I cannot afford to go out, cannot afford to buy clothes, and yeah major jealously when sometimes we cannot afford to buy food for the week!!!! :mad::mad::mad:

As jealous as I am I would never swop with one of these people, they disgust me.

Well done OP, what you did was spot on, wish there was more people like you out there. Your motives are irrelevant the basis of the matter is what this woman is doing is wrong...too long have Irish people sat back and let others steal from us and make a mockery of us. :mad: When are we going to say enough is enough, they gravy train ends here????

Sardonicat

OP, I think you did the right thing.

This isn't a case of people pushed to the pin of their collar, trying to survive as a family and doing this out of neccesity. These aren't people caught in a welfare trap. These people are taking the piss, big time.

wylo

LighterGuy,
I get your point, I do see what your trying to say with your analogy, but I completely disagree with it, I genuinely think its nonsense. You really think its that black and white. That someone is either on one side or the other?? That if you illegally download mp3s you've no right to give out about someone fleecing the taxpayer.

Firstly, why should I care that someone is illegally downloading or doing anything else illegal when the only true damage done is profit to labels (who by the way had made a killing for many years by overcharging cds etc, and still do through gigs, but we wont get into that). The people that should care DO care, i.e. the industry is currently challenging service providers/uploaders etc. So they deal with that because they feel they are being ripped off. Do you think they care that Irish taxpayers are feeling ripped off by fellow fraudsters, not a chance, I wouldnt expect them to, but no, according to your logic they should care because its that black and white.


We feel we're being ripped off when we work hard , pay taxes, and we see that for all that ,someone else is reaping the benefits while doing nothing, or worse, getting paid under the table while on the dole, meaning they are not only reaping the benefits but not contributing their fair share back.

Have you ever worked in a job where there was one lazy bollox who did nothing all the time and your work was suffering from it? By your logic you should be saying "Ahh no in fairness now, I download illegally and use dodgy boxes so im in no position to give out about wrongdoings". And you cant say its not the same, because im using your argument, i.e. comparing like with like, and making it as black and white as you are.

The truth is , when you feel someone is taking more than their share and you are suffering as a result of it, you get annoyed. Call it jealousy, call it begrudgery, whatever you want, but its reality, it is the feeling of being hard done by, someone having a good time at your expense.
If you really can't see how that annoys people then there is no more I can argue with.

LighterGuy

wylo wrote: »

The truth is , when you feel someone is taking more than their share and you are suffering as a result of it, you get annoyed. Call it jealousy, call it begrudgery, whatever you want, but its reality, it is the feeling of being hard done by, someone having a good time at your expense.
If you really can't see how that annoys people then there is no more I can argue with.

I get what your saying but you're taking me the wrong way :P
But i wont go into the whole downloading etc etc etc etc thing futher. We'd just be rehashing. As for what you say tho, there are no rules in life. its all fair game. You mention a lazy worker...we've all experienced that sadly. But how many times in that situation if you went to the manager would he honestly listen to you? would he care?. thats wrong. I agree. But its another thing to life aint fair. I wish life was. I wish everyone was entitled to the same share of the pie as everyone else. But it isnt. Life is about getting what you can. Lets be honest life is a rat race.

But this is a perfect example of what people are in life. Lets say John Doe has a brand new car. Got it from doing something on the side. Im jealous. But because john got that by bending/breaking the rules. Im going to take him down. ...
Does that help me? ... does that make paying the bills easier for me? No it doesnt. What if Johnny got it from hard work? (legit) ... i cant pick up a phone and hang him. But i'll still be jealous and let it eat at me? My point is ... life aint fair. If john has something you want. You go get the same. Or at least try to ... the rules in life are shady.

of course, there is an exception. if he did an action against me (serious action, not a little tippy toe one. f*ck him. report. action > reaction) there is a line. A personal line that is crossed. Is jealously a good enough line crossing?

But overall, i guess the way the world works is if someone has something more than me, and i have a way to take them down. by all means do so... accordingly by this thread.... (oh and for the record i aint no moral crusader. Im the type of person who thinks life is one big rat race.. its all about what you get outta it)