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Would you report a dole scammer?

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13567…13

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    #62
    Eoin247
    Registered Users Posts: 826 ✭✭✭Eoin247


    This thread is depressing. All these people who wouldn't give a tiny bit of their time to report a crime.

    Never mind that it's a crime for just second. How about knowing that this money that's being scammed could be used elsewhere? Where the hell do you think the money comes from? It could be used for families that are actually struggling, the homeless, disadvantaged kids etc.

    This kind of laissez faire attitude to things causes a hell of a lot of needless suffering indirectly.

    Seriously shame on you...


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    #63
    mahoganygas
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,488 ✭✭✭mahoganygas


    I know somebody close to me who hasn't worked since finishing school. He has spent the best part of a decade on various courses (unfinished), schemes, and applying for jobs that he is guaranteed not to get.

    He has no intention of working and will be quite honest about this. But he will do jobs on the side as they arrise.

    He is a family member so I would not report him.

    I have to bite my tongue every time he gives out about our 'corrupt government' who doesn't care about the working class. I have to leave the room when he says he's heading out to collect his 'wages' then comes back with fags, lotto tickets and take aways.

    It's getting harder and harder to stay quiet.

    I cancelled plans with him one day as I had just worked a 50 hour week and needed a night to just relax in front of the telly. I nearly went for him when he said 'ah sure you're always tired'.

    Separately, the system is very broken if this level of abuse is allowed.


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    #64
    Macy0161
    Registered Users Posts: 9,289 ✭✭✭Macy0161


    "Someone" should do "something" about the abuse of social welfare and fix the system. But "I" won't report someone.


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    #65
    Alun
    Registered Users Posts: 21,425 ✭✭✭✭Alun


    Eoin247 wrote: »
    This thread is depressing. All these people who wouldn't give a tiny bit of their time to report a crime.
    What's worse is that one of them, Conor74, is apparently a solicitor IRL.


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    #66
    RayM
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,973 ✭✭✭RayM


    Questions for those who would report: Would you do it anonymously? Or would you tell the person that it was you who reported them? Would you give your own name to the Department of Social Protection?


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    #67
    josip
    Registered Users Posts: 13,655 ✭✭✭✭josip


    Yes


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    #68
    Walter H Price
    Registered Users Posts: 1,839 ✭✭✭Walter H Price


    RayM wrote: »
    Questions for those who would report: Would you do it anonymously? Or would you tell the person that it was you who reported them? Would you give your own name to the Department of Social Protection?

    Would have no issue giving my name as an added F you


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    #69
    mahoganygas
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,488 ✭✭✭mahoganygas


    RayM wrote:
    Questions for those who would report: Would you do it anonymously? Or would you tell the person that it was you who reported them? Would you give your own name to the Department of Social Protection?


    I see the point you're making. It seems cowardly not to give your name.

    I once reported my neighbour for selling heroin from his house. There was no way in hell I was giving my real name.

    Still cowardly? Yes.
    Do I care? Nope.


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    #70
    Joshua J
    Registered Users Posts: 1,305 ✭✭✭Joshua J


    Jesus people on boards think the countries "problems" begin and end with the unemployed. They don't actually have stomach for change because if they did they'd want to start at the top and work their way down but they want to start at the bottom and stay there. They only want those they look down on to feel their wrath. Don't get me started on "breaking the law". Didnt bould Bertie do nixxers left right and centre and when cornered said he won it on the nags and ye still blow smoke up his jacksie. The law aint blind it's for sale. Breaking the law, give me a break.


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    #71
    LirW
    Registered Users Posts: 4,825 ✭✭✭LirW


    Difficult. In general, I do not stick my nose in other's people business.

    But I have to admit I reported someone in my country of origin before.
    A person I know giving out constantly IRL and on FB how everything is unfair, the system is against him, he is stigmatised and so on.
    Background to that is: Unemployed for a good few years by now, considers himself as a cannabis activist (I do understand it helps some people medically and I simply don't care when someone has the need for the most suitable kind of medication) but is the kind of "activist" using that as an excuse to just smoke legally, permanently giving out about how expensive his medication is and he has to buy off shady dealers in the local park because nobody pays his medication.
    Lost his license because he was driving in Bavaria after smoking some joints, got pulled over and was tested (the amount found was quite high). As someone involved in an accident due to intoxicated driving I don't take something like that lightly. However now he wants to get his license back, complains about how the system is permanently working against him and how corrupt the doctors, psychologists, basically everyone is, he has to pay everything on his own (lives off welfare) and has nothing to eat because of that. Boo hoo.

    However there was a report filed before I did because every job offer was refused, due to very lame excuses.

    As I said, I usually don't care, but this annoyed so much and since there is basically the whole life on FB of said person, I can't particularly say I'm sorry.

    Does it make me a bad person? Maybe.
    But since there were reports filed before on this person, I don't feel bad.

    In general I do understand the purposes of the welfare safety net, but it's exactly people like that putting others in real need in bad light.


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    #72
    hannible the cannible
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 163 ✭✭hannible the cannible


    I wouldn't , my cousin is married to a teacher who hasn't worked in 3 years because of having babies and being pregnant , while we have highly educated people breeding for the sole intention of working the system (he has told me this is what they planned) I'll have no problem with Joe the painter earning 60 or 70 quid a day on top of his dole , when corruption within the guards and the politicians is rooted out then we should concentrate on the less well off and try and improve their situation


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    #73
    josip
    Registered Users Posts: 13,655 ✭✭✭✭josip


    hannible the cannible wrote: »
    I wouldn't , my cousin is married to a teacher who hasn't worked in 3 years because of having babies and being pregnant , while we have highly educated people breeding for the sole intention of working the system (he has told me this is what they planned) I'll have no problem with Joe the painter earning 60 or 70 quid a day on top of his dole , when corruption within the guards and the politicians is rooted out then we should concentrate on the less well off and try and improve their situation

    I wouldn't consider teachers highly educated.
    Educated, yes.
    Highly, not necessarily.

    Ah yes, the scheming sprogging teachers, corrupt guards and politicians.
    Any other lazy stereotypes we can use as excuses?


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    #74
    mahoganygas
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,488 ✭✭✭mahoganygas


    josip wrote:
    Ah yes, the scheming sprogging teachers, corrupt guards and politicians. Any other lazy stereotypes we can use as excuses?


    Don't forget dem scheming banksters!


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    #75
    RayM
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,973 ✭✭✭RayM


    mahoganygas wrote: »
    I see the point you're making. It seems cowardly not to give your name.

    I once reported my neighbour for selling heroin from his house. There was no way in hell I was giving my real name.

    Still cowardly? Yes.
    Do I care? Nope.

    Assuming the social welfare claimant is not a violent type, there's usually a big difference between the potential consequences of reporting a heroin dealer, and reporting someone who's claiming the dole when they shouldn't. With the drug dealer, even if he isn't violent, there's likely to be a whole chain of other people who could cause you harm. I know this because I've seen Love/Hate.


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    #76
    uch
    Registered Users Posts: 7,008 ✭✭✭uch


    Jaysus I'm glad Boards wasn't around in the 80's, I worked on a Building site that had around 100 lads working on it, a labour inspector appeared one day, it was like when you lift a corrugated sheet off a mice nest, there were scatters everywhere, and about 7 people left on the site, everyone else was on the scratcher, just the way it was back then, nobody ratted on anyone because most were in the same boat.

    21/25



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    #77
    SB_Part2
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,951 ✭✭✭SB_Part2


    I was only debating this recently. There's a girl who I grew up with. Claiming lone parents (she's not, her bf lives with her) and on the dole who minds kids for cash in hand. Apart of me thinks that it's out of line but one part of me thinks she must be desperate.


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    #78
    hannible the cannible
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 163 ✭✭hannible the cannible


    josip wrote: »
    I wouldn't consider teachers highly educated.
    Educated, yes.
    Highly, not necessarily.

    Ah yes, the scheming sprogging teachers, corrupt guards and politicians.
    Any other lazy stereotypes we can use as excuses?

    The guards are rotten to the core , recent well publicised events are testament to that , and civil servants are renowned for milking the system , at least the private sector has to answer to itself


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    #79
    sKeith
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,404 ✭✭✭✭sKeith


    hannible the cannible wrote: »
    I wouldn't , my cousin is married to a teacher who hasn't worked in 3 years because of having babies and being pregnant , while we have highly educated people breeding for the sole intention of working the system (he has told me this is what they planned) I'll have no problem with Joe the painter earning 60 or 70 quid a day on top of his dole , when corruption within the guards and the politicians is rooted out then we should concentrate on the less well off and try and improve their situation

    Joe the painter can afford to undercut honest painters because dole is paying his living costs.
    The honest painter has less work due to being uncut and struggles to make the cost of living.


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    #80
    Ferrari3600
    Closed Accounts Posts: 617 ✭✭✭Ferrari3600


    Walter H Price wrote: »
    100% i would , don't know or have ever known anyone on the dole, so not sure how the situation would arise.

    But if someone was claiming the sick illegitimately or choosing to live off welfare and i found out id definitely report it , not what i pay my tax's for get off your lazy arses and get out and work like the rest of us. Leo is spot on.

    Hmm. Posted at 11:50 on a weekday morning.

    Were you on a day off work?


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    #81
    omega man
    Registered Users Posts: 4,729 ✭✭✭omega man


    I'm not sure. You'd want to be very certain the person is in fact claiming fraudulently and on a long term basis.

    One thing worth pointing out is that we're not talking about someone claiming the dole alone, there's a wealth of associated benefits from subsidised rent or allowances to medical cards etc. Claiming all such entitlements along with working on the side could be quite lucrative.


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    #82
    Tasden
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,166 ✭✭✭Tasden


    pilly wrote: »
    Yeah, I'm in agreement here. In actual fact the SW make it too difficult for people to sign off for a week or two if they get the offer of a small bit of work so I wouldn't blame them doing something small but working full-time and still claiming is taking the p**s. It's like any crime, there are degrees.

    Just in case anybody is put off taking up temp work by this post, you can actually inform your social welfare office that the work is temporary and they will suspend your payment rather than close it. So once the contract is finished you don't have to re apply you just go back in and they start it back up again fairly quickly. Especially around Christmas time, I think they allow something like 12 weeks before the claim is closed as they know that Christmas contracts are only short term.


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    #83
    Widdershins
    Registered Users Posts: 10,633 ✭✭✭✭Widdershins


    I've just remembered. A boyfriend of mine was on the dole years ago. He'd been self employed for a while and signed on when work dried up. His money was cut off at one point because according to the Social Welfare people he had been working while drawing the dole. He had not been working at all. I never found out who reported him falsely.
    Please be absolutely certain of your facts if you really think you must report someone.


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    #84
    foggy_lad
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,373 ✭✭✭✭foggy_lad


    Riva10 wrote: »
    Surely we have not had a couple more of immaculate conceptions without The Vatican knowing. The childrens other parent should be made pay.

    It's never as simple as that though, 1 case I know of the father went to prison several times rather than pay maintenance of €30 a week out of his dole for his 2 kids. sometimes the "other parent" is not contactable or deceased or just no bloody good.


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    #85
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    Foxhound38 wrote: »
    Why not?

    I guess I just don't like the idea of a society running to the authorities on issues, it's a bit Stasi like. I wouldn't support it and wouldn't do it myself, but not going around telling which of my neighbours has breached planning laws, or I suspect of scamming welfare, or doing nixers. That's the job of the State to root out and tackle. There are plenty of types doing that anyway, I find it a tad...miserable.


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    #86
    B.A._Baracus
    Registered Users Posts: 11,178 ✭✭✭✭B.A._Baracus


    I wouldn't report.


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    #87
    animaal
    Closed Accounts Posts: 815 ✭✭✭animaal


    Deleted User wrote: »
    I guess I just don't like the idea of a society running to the authorities on issues, it's a bit Stasi like.

    It's trickier than that though... Do we want to leave it to the state to root out all corruption? If so, we need to allow it the powers to do so. E.g. biometric IDs without people shouting about "picking on the most vulnerable". More surveillance without people shouting about "nanny state" and "Big Brother".

    Alternatively, if we want the state to back off a bit, society has to fill in the gaps, and take a small part in regulating itself.

    I don't think it's good enough for people to reject both options just because they think a bit of corruption is fine if it's the right kind of corruption.


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    #88
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    animaal wrote: »
    It's trickier than that though... Do we want to leave it to the state to root out all corruption? If so, we need to allow it the powers to do so. E.g. biometric IDs without people shouting about "picking on the most vulnerable". More surveillance without people shouting about "nanny state" and "Big Brother"...

    I have no issue at all with ID requirements, traceability in transactions etc.. I mean, so many people have no issue with Google and Facebook having so much info on their daily lives and then get a bit sniffy because the right authorities might have some handle in something as basic as identity. I also have no issue at all with more CCTV cameras in operation.


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    #89
    josip
    Registered Users Posts: 13,655 ✭✭✭✭josip


    Deleted User wrote: »
    I guess I just don't like the idea of a society running to the authorities on issues, it's a bit Stasi like. I wouldn't support it and wouldn't do it myself, but not going around telling which of my neighbours has breached planning laws, or I suspect of scamming welfare, or doing nixers. That's the job of the State to root out and tackle. There are plenty of types doing that anyway, I find it a tad...miserable.

    What's your opinion on citizens' powers of arrest ?


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    #90
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    josip wrote: »
    What's your opinion on citizens' powers of arrest ?

    I think the current laws are in order ie. to prevent serious crime where the citizen believes the perp will evade detection if not arrested.

    But for scams such a dole fraud, inappropriate and again would remind me too much of a Stasi like society where people were encouraged to become an arm of the State and police their neighbours. A very ugly society where behaviour was motivated by fear and simple acts carried out in secret.


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    #91
    Ferrari3600
    Closed Accounts Posts: 617 ✭✭✭Ferrari3600


    Deleted User wrote: »
    I guess I just don't like the idea of a society running to the authorities on issues, it's a bit Stasi like. I wouldn't support it and wouldn't do it myself, but not going around telling which of my neighbours has breached planning laws, or I suspect of scamming welfare, or doing nixers. That's the job of the State to root out and tackle. There are plenty of types doing that anyway, I find it a tad...miserable.

    Agreed, and the fact that at least one poster here thinks you shouldn't express such opinions because you are allegedly a legal professional is, frankly, sad.


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