Would you report a dole scammer?

Foxhound38

Leo Varadkers recent warning to those that live on the dole as a lifestyle choice got me to thinking - would I report a dole scammer if someone I know was doing it? Say claiming while working cash in hand, or just failing to look for work while claiming jobseekers etc...

Honestly I'm not sure - on the one hand I can't stand the abuse that is allowed to go on when it comes to our Welfare system. It actually means there is less in the pot for genuine cases. On the other hand, those of a more left wing bent would, I imagine, claim that harassing the poor and downtrodden over a few bob seems like unfair targetting when compared with to what the bankers and bondholders were allowed to get away with. To be honest, I see the latter as whataboutery whenever it is mentioned.

So what about you upstanding citizens of AH? Would you snitch on a mate doing the dirty with the dole?

No.

I wouldn't like it, but certainly wouldn't report it either.

Foxhound38

Deleted User wrote: »

No.

I wouldn't like it, but certainly wouldn't report it either.

Why not?

Walter H Price

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.

ForstalDave

depends on who was doing it but its something i really dislike and feel that there is little excuse to do

wakka12

Foxhound38 wrote: »

Leo Varadkers recent warning to those that live on the dole as a lifestyle choice got me to thinking - would I report a dole scammer if someone I know was doing it? Say claiming while working cash in hand, or just failing to look for work while claiming jobseekers etc...

Honestly I'm not sure - on the one hand I can't stand the abuse that is allowed to go on when it comes to our Welfare system. It actually means there is less in the pot for genuine cases. On the other hand, those of a more left wing bent would, I imagine, claim that harassing the poor and downtrodden over a few bob seems like unfair targetting when compared with to what the bankers and bondholders were allowed to get away with. To be honest, I see the latter as whataboutery whenever it is mentioned.

So what about you upstanding citizens of AH? Would you snitch on a mate doing the dirty with the dole?

I hate this excuse. A crime is a crime, and anyone caught should be punished regardless of there being much worse crime/criminals out there

Nidgeweasel

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.

What's it like being a grass?

wakka12

I would report them if I don't like them as people.

pajero12

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.

I find this hard to believe, not even during the recession?

Walter H Price

Nidgeweasel wrote: »

What's it like being a grass?

never troubled me in the slightest , people who falsely claim welfare or choose it as a lifestyle are only deserving of contempt.

SEPT 23 1989

rat on a mate?

smelly sock

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.

I'd say if you mates ever fell on hard times or needed someone to talk to when things got tough you'd be on speed dial.

Walter H Price

pajero12 wrote: »

I find this hard to believe :rolleyes:

Honestly all of my family and friends work 90 percent went to college the ones that didn't or dropped out either moved to Australia or got jobs here. My parents , aunts unles counsins (not that theres alot of them) have never claimed welfare all either work or are in full time education. My Fiances family are the same , none went to college she was the first but they all work blue collar jobs in factorys, Shops and such. I come from a fairly middle class estate so everyone either works or are retired with the exception of the one or two stay at home mams.

So genuinly i can honestly say i do not presently or have ever previously know someone in receipt of social welfare (aside from my grandparents pensions) fraudulently or otherwise.

But if i did i would have 0 issue reporting it

jimgoose

I'm of a right-wing persuasion and I would be of the view that some poor bastard stuck in the dole rut earning a few extra tenners on the side so he and his family can live half-decently at least occasionally should be left to it.

Joshua J

Your average high ranking Civil servant would spend more on lunch putting it through expenses than Jimmy getting a few euro for a nixxer.

Conall Cernach

I don't think I would but it would depend on how much piss I thought was been taken. I can't imagine me actually doing more than bitching about it though. Say, there was a young lad working a couple of hours a day doing odd jobs for neighbours while claiming €100 a week on the dole then that wouldn't bother me in the slightest. But if there was a fella I knew was claiming disability allowance for himself, a wife and 4 children (€405.18 pw) while out laying bricks at €150 a day then I'd do some serious tutting.

Your Face

If they were scamming the system, then yes, I'd report them.
The funds should go to more worthy causes.

Ragnar Lothbrok

There's a massive difference between someone working virtually full time and still claiming state benefits, and someone who's out of work but offered a few quid to help out on a one-off job for a day or two.

As someone who has worked all his life, I do sometimes find it frustrating that someone not working can apparently have as much disposable income as me, without having to drag themselves to work 5 days a week.

However, under no circumstances would I ever, ever consider informing on anyone who was claiming benefits whilst working. That's the job of the Social Welfare Inspectors and if there's not enough of them, maybe more should be employed.

dudara

There are shades of grey to factor in. I wouldn't object to someone with an odd nixer. But longer term abuse of social welfare, yes I'd report. The inspectors will investigate and they decide if there is merit to my report.

pilly

Conall Cernach wrote: »

I don't think I would but it would depend on how much piss I thought was been taken. I can't imagine me actually doing more than bitching about it though. Say, there was a young lad working a couple of hours a day doing odd jobs for neighbours while claiming €100 a week on the dole then that wouldn't bother me in the slightest. But if there was a fella I knew was claiming disability allowance for himself, a wife and 4 children (€405.18 pw) while out laying bricks at €150 a day then I'd do some serious tutting.

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.

Potential Underachiever

Nah, I'd mind my own business tbh.

Ragnar Lothbrok

I worked in two Unemployment Offices in England during the 80s, when times were hard enough thanks to Maggie Thatcher's heartless policies. Even in those days, the vast majority of the few informants were very much of the anonymous green ink or pencil crayon types.

Many of my colleagues tended to despise the sort of person who would voluntarily inform on someone.

ScumLord

Of course not, I'd make them pay me a cut to keep me quiet. I'd only report them if they upset me and I wanted revenge.

Conall Cernach

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.

The 3 day week thing is a bit crap too. If you work 12 hours a day for 3 days of the week you can still claim a reduced dole but if you work 1 hour a day, 4 days a week you can claim nothing. Some people I know who work in retail have been caught out by this when they might be given 4 x 4 hour shifts a week so that they cannot claim a 3 day week or claim FIS which has a minimum of 38 hours per fortnight.

wexfordman2

wakka12 wrote: »

I would report them if I don't like them as people.

Your own personal justice system eh

Iwasfrozen

Foxhound38 wrote: »

Leo Varadkers recent warning to those that live on the dole as a lifestyle choice got me to thinking - would I report a dole scammer if someone I know was doing it? Say claiming while working cash in hand, or just failing to look for work while claiming jobseekers etc...

Honestly I'm not sure - on the one hand I can't stand the abuse that is allowed to go on when it comes to our Welfare system. It actually means there is less in the pot for genuine cases. On the other hand, those of a more left wing bent would, I imagine, claim that harassing the poor and downtrodden over a few bob seems like unfair targetting when compared with to what the bankers and bondholders were allowed to get away with. To be honest, I see the latter as whataboutery whenever it is mentioned.

So what about you upstanding citizens of AH? Would you snitch on a mate doing the dirty with the dole?

Yes. I would gleefully snitch on a dole cheat. I'd snitch twice if I could. That's my money they're wasting.

Wolf Club

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.

Can you report someone for choosing to live off welfare? Seems like it would be difficult to investigate.

pilly

Conall Cernach wrote: »

The 3 day week thing is a bit crap too. If you work 12 hours a day for 3 days of the week you can still claim a reduced dole but if you work 1 hour a day, 4 days a week you can claim nothing. Some people I know who work in retail have been caught out by this when they might be given 4 x 4 hour shifts a week so that they cannot claim a 3 day week or claim FIS which has a minimum of 38 hours per fortnight.

Yeah, they really need to rethink these things to get people back out there working. If I was on the dole I couldn't afford to take the risk of a zero hour contract because as you say it could be 4X4 hour shifts and just wouldn't pay.

Foxhound38

smelly sock wrote: »

I'd say if you mates ever fell on hard times or needed someone to talk to when things got tough you'd be on speed dial.

How does claiming while working count as "falling on hard times"?

I'd love an extra €188 a week!

Foxhound38

jimgoose wrote: »

I'm of a right-wing persuasion and I would be of the view that some poor bastard stuck in the dole rut earning a few extra tenners on the side so he and his family can live half-decently at least occasionally should be left to it.

Nobody is talking about "extra 10ers" - I'm talking about the lads who earn a few hundred a week cash in hand, plus €188 jobseekers

Mortpourvelo

Foxhound38 wrote: »

Leo Varadkers recent warning to those that live on the dole as a lifestyle choice got me to thinking - would I report a dole scammer if someone I know was doing it? Say claiming while working cash in hand, or just failing to look for work while claiming jobseekers etc...

Honestly I'm not sure - on the one hand I can't stand the abuse that is allowed to go on when it comes to our Welfare system. It actually means there is less in the pot for genuine cases. On the other hand, those of a more left wing bent would, I imagine, claim that harassing the poor and downtrodden over a few bob seems like unfair targetting when compared with to what the bankers and bondholders were allowed to get away with. To be honest, I see the latter as whataboutery whenever it is mentioned.

So what about you upstanding citizens of AH? Would you snitch on a mate doing the dirty with the dole?

Not a mate, no. Just couldn't do it. But then I don't have the kind of mates that would act so scummy, so won't happen.

Anyone else yeah. Easily.

Pat Mustard

I wouldn't report a fella 'cos F*ck da Poli...

I mean no.

henryporter

Here ye go: https://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/secure/ReportFraud.aspx - let the games begin!

Summer wind

No I wouldn't. It's none of my business live and let live. Why should I do the governments work for them anyway.

Foxhound38

Summer wind wrote: »

No I wouldn't. It's none of my business live and let live. Why should I do the governments work for them anyway.

... Because it's your money they are scamming?

Summer wind

Foxhound38 wrote: »

... Because it's your money they are scamming?

I know where you are coming from and I don't like people that blatantly abuse the welfare system but the government have sat back for long enough and let these situations develope. They are on huge salaries to run the country so let them do their jobs and I'll do mine.

Allinall

Summer wind wrote: »

No I wouldn't. It's none of my business live and let live. Why should I do the governments work for them anyway.

You mustn't pay any tax or make any contribution to society if you think it's none of your business.

Green Mile

I reported my neighbour before (foreign national in the country less than a year (nice guy)). My dad found himself unemployed but wasn’t able to claim from the social due to no PRSI contributions when he was self-employed. So when I seen my neighbour signing-on the monthly register and coming out of the sign-on office and putting a different jacket on and a hat and went back in and signed on again (as a different person), I just couldn’t see how that was fair. I had to report it.

Geuze

Green Mile wrote: »

I reported my neighbour before (foreign national in the country less than a year (nice guy)). My dad found himself unemployed but wasn’t able to claim from the social due to no PRSI contributions when he was self-employed. So when I seen my neighbour signing-on the monthly register and coming out of the sign-on office and putting a different jacket on and a hat and went back in and signed on again (as a different person), I just couldn’t see how that was fair. I had to report it.

Well done, but instead we need a system that is robust to these scams.

For example, biometric scanners.

Teyla Emmagan

I have. I had a tenant who was claiming rent allowance of some sort but not giving any of it to me. When I finally got rid of her my then boyfriend called SW to report her.

She was a vicious bitch and deserved it.

Conall Cernach

Green Mile wrote: »

I reported my neighbour before (foreign national in the country less than a year (nice guy)). My dad found himself unemployed but wasn’t able to claim from the social due to no PRSI contributions when he was self-employed. So when I seen my neighbour signing-on the monthly register and coming out of the sign-on office and putting a different jacket on and a hat and went back in and signed on again (as a different person), I just couldn’t see how that was fair. I had to report it.

I was on the dole a few years ago and there were two Roma lads who would sign on at the same time as me. They were identical brothers and even dressed alike (leather jacket, jeans). They had to do everything together because everyone thought they were one guy trying to scam.

Summer wind

Allinall wrote: »

You mustn't pay any tax or make any contribution to society if you think it's none of your business.[/QUOTE

I pay my taxes always have done. I've never had an unpaid bill in my life. Me reporting Johnny or Mary down the road even if I wanted to do it wouldn't make any difference. A few weeks later they'd just be claiming a different benefit and there you go again. The government have created this mess let them sort it.

MeatTwoVeg

Yeah, I would, in a heartbeat.
People like that are sucking up scarce resources away from the genuinely vulnerable.
I'd sleep like a baby afterwards.

chakotha

No I haven't and wouldn't.

It lowers them a lot in my estimation though.

d2ww

chakotha wrote: »

No I haven't and wouldn't.

It lowers them a lot in my estimation though.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_XjlVrrU_A

srsly78

Green Mile wrote: »

I reported my neighbour before (foreign national in the country less than a year (nice guy)). My dad found himself unemployed but wasn’t able to claim from the social due to no PRSI contributions when he was self-employed. So when I seen my neighbour signing-on the monthly register and coming out of the sign-on office and putting a different jacket on and a hat and went back in and signed on again (as a different person), I just couldn’t see how that was fair. I had to report it.

You are leaving out some important information: your father was refused dole because he failed the means-test - ie he was too rich.

foggy_lad

I have seen how much hassle and confusion and trouble can be cause to a single parent with 2 kids under 12 just scraping by who goes to the post office to collect her weekly money only to be told there is nothing there for you!

I have also seen how others can work and scam while on welfare and nothing is ever done about them, they give genuine people who are doing their very best for their families a bad name so yes I would have no hesitation reporting any suspicions of fraud to the social welfare offices.

BrokenArrows

Foxhound38 wrote: »

Leo Varadkers recent warning to those that live on the dole as a lifestyle choice got me to thinking - would I report a dole scammer if someone I know was doing it? Say claiming while working cash in hand, or just failing to look for work while claiming jobseekers etc...

Honestly I'm not sure - on the one hand I can't stand the abuse that is allowed to go on when it comes to our Welfare system. It actually means there is less in the pot for genuine cases. On the other hand, those of a more left wing bent would, I imagine, claim that harassing the poor and downtrodden over a few bob seems like unfair targetting when compared with to what the bankers and bondholders were allowed to get away with. To be honest, I see the latter as whataboutery whenever it is mentioned.

So what about you upstanding citizens of AH? Would you snitch on a mate doing the dirty with the dole?

Depends.

If i knew someone on the dole who had a full time cash in hand job then i might consider reporting them.

However if someone was on the dole and just taking the occasional nixer for cash then i probably wouldnt unless the person was actually doing this to purposely avoid getting a full time job.

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

Yes I would

SAMTALK

Someone recommended a tiler to me who quoted me 150euro per day.
He asked to be paid in cash as he was drawing the dole! Unbelievable

Did I report him? No.
Dont ask me why. I think this is an Irish thing. We give out about this but wont actually stand up and do anything about it

And no he didnt get the job

Riva10

foggy_lad wrote: »

I have seen how much hassle and confusion and trouble can be cause to a single parent with 2 kids under 12 just scraping by who goes to the post office to collect her weekly money only to be told there is nothing there for you!

I have also seen how others can work and scam while on welfare and nothing is ever done about them, they give genuine people who are doing their very best for their families a bad name so yes I would have no hesitation reporting any suspicions of fraud to the social welfare offices.

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