UK Gov cracks down on benefits fraudsters

UK Gov cracks down on benefits fraudsters. The government has announced it will spend over £500 million to catch benefits fraudsters.

The new crackdown aims to save taxpayers money and will utilise 2,000 trained specialists. The specialists will review claims including cross-checking bank details and following up on details provided by self-employed claimants.

According to the government the crackdown will build: “on the department’s highly skilled and agile counter-fraud team” which has “investigators in cyber security and serious and organised crime.”

Thérèse Coffey, Secretary of State at the Department for Work and Pensions, commented: “Investing in measures to fight fraud protects honest taxpayers’ money and stops criminals funding their illicit activities off the back of our welfare system.

“We know the characteristics of a suspicious claim. This half a billion-pound cash injection is a clear message to fraudsters and criminal gangs: Anyone trying to con us will get caught out.”

Commenting on a recent sting operation the government said: “A recent case handled by the counter-fraud team supported a high value fraud bust with police in Stratford-upon-Avon.

“Operation Iggy was a sting on a woman who had made 14 Universal Credit claims using false identity documents for a total of £270,000. She was arrested, with the false documents found in her house, and sentenced to 30 months in prison, with DWP now recovering the money.”

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