Universal Credit: Claimants targeted in multi-million pound scam - BBC News 

Scamming a young mum - I hope what's goes around, come around

Everyone believes they can't be scammed Until you get scammed

A grand is a fortune to a person living paycheck to paycheck.

So, if I'm understanding this correctly, a third party makes a claim pretending to be 'Mrs Smith', the 3rd party gets away with lots of of money, while Mrs Smith loses her benefits, which may be sole income, AND hasto repay what the 3rd party took? That's outrageous!

U. C should be scrapped.

If she's the victim why should she or anyone have to pay it back it's their dodgy system that was a failure from the get go

*train the staff better* ...imagine approving an application for homer and his two kids *bart & lisa* 😲

UC has not worked from the very beginning, getting worst by the day.

When someone makes a claim and has children don't they have to have prove of those children, why should innocent victims be made to pay for loans which were fraudulently claimed by someone else?

I feel bad for laughing at the DWP Message Board posts..

Crazy how this gets passed through and authorized yet people struggling keep getting shut down for PIP and ESA

these guys called me & they sounded real nice, however I’m switched on so I said hang on a min & passed the phone to my 4 year old daughter who took care of the rest

Universal credit needs to be cancelled, and this issue is only one of the reasons why.

They should just end universal credit and go back to the old system

So... people who genuinely need Universal Credit struggle to apply for it, face long waiting times where no payments are received for two months, have to take emergency loans from the government whilst they wait for their first payment, receive less money than they did on their legacy benefits, and homelessness is rising.... but scammers have a relatively easy time? What the absolute fuck is going on? I don't receive any benefits whatsoever and never have needed to, but I'd like to think that I'd get the help I needed if I ever did. I've paid plenty into the system and so would expect that I'd get something back if I needed it. This is an absolute disgrace that there are loopholes in the system that scammers can exploit, whilst genuine claimants are struggling more than ever before. What a world we live in. Great Britain simply isn't great anymore, is it? I'm beginning to wonder if it ever was!

I am totally paranoid about scams so don’t trust any email or calls. I had an email from supposedly the tax office saying to click here to receive £875 back tax. I didn’t click but called the tax office who confirmed it was a scam. Be very careful.

before they are given the loan they should have an interview with the job centre where they should be given all the facts first and then given a choice to carry on with the claim or not.

Why is the government making them pay it back? Just print more money, they can’t afford to pay it

'19 years old with 6 blind children' Lmao

19 year old with a 6 blind children . Unbelievable.😆😆😆

If the Government pays workers a proper salary to live on we could scrape these daft job centers. They are hopeless and don't serve any purpose. The minimum wage should be at least £15 a hour by now. And £20 a hour for the emergency services. MPs need a pay cut.

This has to be the Government's fault, they shouldnt allow a third party to take out loans for anyone.

Look at your government. same result every time ..Disaster

I claimed for universal credit and few days later before my first appointment, i saw they closed my claim without letting me know anything. This is really unfair!!! They also cancelled my first meeting aswell. Universal credit is rubbish. 😖

BBC IT'S GOT TO BE INSIDE JOB

I don't know how this could work, there are so many checks in place, i had to have my ID confirmed by several steps to get my claim to go ahead.

Until the punishment fits the crime, Scammers will continue. In the UK, crime really does pay.

I wish I could get off benefits, I've applied to 1000+ jobs the past year having finished at college but nowhere gets back to me and all I've ever had is voluntary things so far, I just need that one fair job offer to reply and I'll take it, it's so depressing to be on the dole. I'm not overly fussy of types of work I've tried to apply for retail, warehouse and hotel jobs though these are far from my area of study which was Public Services but those jobs are rare to come by currently so I just hope to get into a job.

This is good news for those who want to see UC scrapped, but extremely bad news (and I sympathise) for those who have been hit by the scammers already. I don't know what Amber Rudd is going to do about this, but whilst reducing the 5-week wait to 1-week and thus not needing these advance payments would be great, I think it's more likely she'll just do away with the advance payments and leave us to the mercy of destitution and more poverty.

love how we talk about this instead of Matt Handcock and his dodgy deals

This does not sound right to me because you have to go for several appointments where you provide tons of documents before they pay you the UC money

i would rather die than ask or beg the state for money.i am responsible for my life not the government

Universal credit is. Complete failure should be removed

Iv payed thousands and thousands in tax, insurance over the years, out of work, needed some help, thought I'd claim, never have before, apparently my identification cannot be verified, even with a british passport, bank account, being born in this country, and living here all my life, what do you have to be to claim this, oh of course, a fraudster, or crimminal, I was wandering where all my taxes had gone over the years, and national insurance, or do they just make it so difficult so that you don't bother?

If you have received a HMRC message, please reply with the scam URL here

The problem with universal credit is that there are lots of people who don't have the skills on computers to do what the job centre want them to do and if you have come out of prison and you have never used a mobile phone and don't even know what a email is its really daunting if you have license conditions they don't listen to you and keep putting pressure on you to get work you can't do because of your licence constraints

This is one of the concerns I have of the PiP notion and of UVc in general. As a disabled person myself. I don't have great confidence with that! And I have a very uneasy feeling that these changes aren't going to be beneficial for all vulnerable communities in Britain. Time shall tell if those feelings are wrong - or is right! I suspect only the latter.

Why does she have to pay it back if she’s been scammed

Special place in hell for these devil's.

her and her mates got stung. i dont believe this BS

What was wrong with the old system?

I am Single parent with 2 children. Used to get child tax credit and benefits however 6 months we were with UC and I didn’t even get a penny!!! The reason is I am not ELIGIBLE!!!! What the hell!!! From the month my children were born I used to get benefits so why am I not eligible now???? Living on Salvation Army food Children go to school however I have to walk them every day 1.8 miles No money for transportation 😔 My son puts on his t-shirt and trousers from last year WHAT A DISGUSTING THING !!! Feeling absolutely destitute!!! I have issue with mental health thanks to UC!!!!

It doesn't matter how many people have been affected by these scams, If the DWP knew about them, then why wasn't something done sooner like reporting them to the Police. I think we should go back to the old system.

As citizens of uk I say we get off this planet 😂😂

This is the job centre people at work offering their claimants extra money. makes sense now.

Yet another example of how this is causing pain to the vulnerable. And these people have to suffer from it? If UC wasn't such a joke perhaps this wouldn't have happened. This is what this Tory government has done to people. Honestly, these people shouldn't have to pay anything back.

There's also another scam going around where people are offering jobs to gain personal information such as full name, address, contact number, next of kin, national insurance number and date of birth, they then make a claim for Universal Credit Advancement without being required to attend a face to face interview. My friend had this happen to her but she didn't know about it until the DWP sent her a letter demanding a payment of over £700 when she's never even claimed benefits.

They already don't have money which is why they're on Universal Credit in the first place. They stop the benefit then.. expect them to pay back money that they didn't claim in the first place. Crazy.

The scammer took 2 thirds lol.. All the money went into her account. Who would hand over £1000 from their bank account and leave £500..really....now their tax credits have stopped they go crying about it. Do the crime, do the time as the saying goes

The amount of proof that is needed to get a universal credit account, photo ID and all through post office or other information services. How are they getting through these checks? Do they have someone on the inside?

Who is crazy enough to think dwp message you using social sites.

She wasnt scammed she knew what was going on

Disgrace! There was not a damn thing wrong with the old system no thought for anyone from the government its work work work!!!! Wake up it isnt as simple as that people desperste to work people struggling taking care of family members people dying and still forced to work what the hell is going on here? I know its not relevant but christ almighty.

And this is probably the last we'll ever hear about this because itll just go on and on and on

Know so many people who do this

Universal credit call center staff use word play to prevent loans for people all day. Say the wrong words even though you're eligible and they'll still not help. The system is broken and politicians love it.

19 years old with 6 blind children 🤔😂

Thanks for telling everyone how to do this scam. What a bunch of doyles!!!

How disgusting Ppl who r truly in need r left without help

This is happening every where

Excellent work rate guy keep it up 💪👍

Robin smith says " making work pay how patronising "

This is partly the governments fault (when it comes to offering people to sign up to UC directly). They made it difficult to access their services on purpose. I’m computer literate but some others aren’t and they make it impossible to call them on purpose. They need to take responsibility and understand their cost saving measures are actually costing them money.

If it’s not from the gov.uk then don’t even look at it again 😂😂😂 just common sense “a normal guy that can access government funds” why did you think that even sounded safe ?🥱🥱🥱

But don't people have to go to the benefits agency for an interview.

So she’s complaining about losing money which would have been given to her for free anyway?

How, can this be allowed to happen. It is disgusting. That the poorest are being abused. And the government is allowing this to happen. How stupid is this government?? Wickedness, being conducted by wicked people. It must be someone who works for the DWP because they know the ins and outs of how the system works. SHAMEFUL!!!!!!

be aware, not just in the UK, the US, CAN as well ... trust , never do anything online or give info to anyone who will say they will help

the thing is, how do we know that they are being truthfull

19 years old with 6 blind children. Sorry I had to laugh

Scammers got scammed 🤣🤣🤣🤣 Nice one 👍

A mess

Many people who shouldnt get UC are enjoying their benefit. While I worked for almost 20 years and lost a job then applied for UC, a couple days later they said my entitlement is £0. Now I have to apply for loan but problem I still dont have a job.

The UC system itself is the biggest robber. It allowed over £30 per week of my £71 weekly benefit to go in various loan repayments.... to the DWP itself.

mum of 5? dont you think you should stop seeing as you don’t have a source of income.

Research first before you give up your money

She knew what she was doing they have just switch the bank fault scheme to university credits

Are people that daft when all they have to do was to go online to make a claim for UC?.

What are the Police doing ?

Universal credit needs to be scrapped

Sounds hilariously suspect

I just don’t get it as every one is agreeing that universal credit is not good than why sitting back ?

stop and scrap this benefit for god sake

Informative news

Biggest scam going is fractional reserve banking, thats the real vampire squid

Scary

Don't feel sorry for the woman tbh. I got scammed it was my fault for being so stupid and naive there was so many telltale signs but you just ignore it. Just a learning experience

If you are single an on UC. an you need to get a new fridge an cooker you can only apply for a load of £348..... How is someone supposed to but a new cooker an fridge with just 348...its absolutely stupid....

I don't know who suffers more the worker or who's on universal. When it was just me it was as it was getting me ( I thought ) through a job that's was part time and min wage. Now I have to give half away as it affects someone I know on universal credit. But they get advancements council tax and child benefits etc is that fair? I don't know

Drug test all applicants

Omg

What are the scammers promising people? I dont understand this.

This has been going on for absolute years it used to be a £600 emergency rent loan. My x girlfriends a victim and ended up with criminal record

Scrap it already

Really sad... But nice to see my friend on tv @jade ❤️❤️❤️

And the man responsible for this fiasco Ian Duncan smith has just been knighted

I know exactly what scam there on about lmao glad I never agreed to someone setting me one up 😲👍🙏

😂😂😂 lisa and bart wtf

1500£ from UC ?????? 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 HOW???

never ever gave information on phone in any circumstance especially if its related to money. The government generally contact you through letters. I had a phone call few months back where one person said your national insurance number is compromised and i laughed because i had no nino at that time. I didnt tell him and asked him what he wants me to do he said me he needs my banking information to verify. I said thanks for calling but let me tell you neither i have NINO nor I have applied yet so there is no way my national insurance number is compromised.