30 November 2002
About 130,000 people may be wiped from the electoral register in Northern
Ireland following the introduction of new measurers designed to combat vote
fraud. For
the full story log on to: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/2529075.stm
_________________
26 November 2002
When detectives first started probing the activities of the Forum they expected
the inquiry to last three months.
Four years later the police inquiry ends in success.
For the full story log on to: http://www.yorkshiretoday.co.uk/viewarticle.aspx?ArticleID=221169&SectionID=55&Search=fraud&Searchtype=any&SearchSection=55&DateFrom=011995&DateTo=122002&Page=13&ReturnPage=Results.aspx
26 November 2002
Vic Watson may be Britain’s best town cryer but his flamboyant job has failed
to impress benefit bosses.
Voted Britain’s Town Cryer of the Year, last year, he is due to appear
in court charged with six counts of benefit fraud next month after he allegedly
neglected to mention his colourful career on applications for state help.
It is alleged that he failed to declare his work as cryer, toastmaster
and part-time clown in claims he made for housing benefit, council tax and
income support over the last three years.
For the full story log on to:
http://www.yorkshiretoday.co.uk/viewarticle.aspx?ArticleID=221162&SectionID=55&Search=fraud&Searchtype=any&SearchSection=55&DateFrom=011995&DateTo=122002&Page=13&ReturnPage=Results.aspx
26
November 2002
A doctor allowed eight women to have fake embryos inserted into their wombs as
part of an elaborate deception to pay off his debts, a court heard yesterday.
For the full story log on to: http://www.yorkshiretoday.co.uk/viewarticle.aspx?ArticleID=221158&SectionID=55&Search=fraud&Searchtype=any&SearchSection=55&DateFrom=011995&DateTo=122002&Page=13&ReturnPage=Results.aspx
26 November 2002
A judge launched a scathing attack on a corruption in local government
yesterday, when he jailed a senior Yorkshire councilor for stealing cash from an
anti-poverty fund to pay for five-star hotels, gambling and prostitutes.
For the full story log on to: http://www.yorkshiretoday.co.uk/viewarticle.aspx?ArticleID=221154&SectionID=55&Search=fraud&Searchtype=any&SearchSection=55&DateFrom=011995&DateTo=122002&Page=13&ReturnPage=Results.aspx
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2nd December 2002
Amber Valley Borough Council may have
to cover the costs of Housing Benefit payments of up to £500,000 after the
collapse of a Company that they had employed to deal with the payments. The
problem is whether the Council has dealt with the matter correctly and the
Council Leader pointed out that other Councils that had broken one rule of the
payment system relating to benefits had not been forced to pay back the money to
Central Government.
During last weeks cabinet meeting the issue was raised about the possible
payment and opposition members questioned if the Council had actually signed a
contract with the company concerned, as this would be normal practice for the
Authority.
The leader stated that he did not know whether a contract had been signed.
_________________
2nd December 2002
Adrian Fairbrother of Cromford Road,
Langley Mill, Notts appeared before Ilkeston Magistrates charged with two counts
of making false claims for benefits in September 2000. He had in fact been
working for an Employment Agency at the time of his benefit claim leading to an
overpayment of £529.00, in addition he asked for 4 other offences to be taken
into consideration.
Fairbrothers solicitor stated that his client had not attempted to avoid the
proceedings but had in fact moved house. Fairbrother is now working for a timber
firm and earning £160.00 per week.
Fairbrother was fined £250.00 and ordered to pay prosecution costs of £100.00,
these are to be paid back at £10.00 per week.
_________________
2nd December 2002
Alan
Barton of Derby Road, Swanwick, Derbyshire appeared before Ilkeston Magistrates
court charged with fraudulently obtaining benefits totaling £2,173.
The
Magistrates warned the former taxi driver that he had come close to being jailed
and that “ defrauding the public purse is an extremely serious offence”. He
was subsequently sentenced to 180 hours community work and ordered to pay £100
prosecution costs.
Barton
had been claiming Income Support having reported that he was incapable of
working but it was discovered that he had been working for 7 months as a taxi
driver. Barton claimed that he had done three school runs each week but he was
not paid for this but was allowed to keep the taxi for his own use during the
rest of the week.
Barton
told the court he no longer works as a taxi driver but is now working in the
building trade.
_________________
2nd December 2002
On Friday 8th
November at Yeovil Crown Court two Londoners were jailed and ordered to repay
more than £45,000 for their part in a benefit fraud ring, which had seen stolen
benefit books being used all over the country.
Helen Lord, 20, from
Tooting and Mervyn Durk, 66, from Clapham were arrested outside a post office in
Wincanton, Somerset, in May of this year.
They had in their possession a number of stolen benefit books.
They were both
charged with conspiracy to defraud the benefit system and were jailed for nine
and eighteen months respectively.
The investigation that led to their imprisonment was carried out by the
Department for Work and Pensions.
Malcolm Wicks, Deputy
Minister for the Department of Work and Pensions said “This is an excellent
example of how fraud detection roots out benefits cheats and should serve as a
strong reminder that we always pursue cases against fraudsters vigorously.”
____________________
27 November 2002
A former solicitor has admitted defrauding more than £400,000 left to people in
wills. For the full story log on
to: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/2519395.stm
____________________
27 November 2002
China has formally arrested Yan Bin, the Dutch-Chinese tycoon chosen by North
Korea to run a special economic zone, on charges including fraud and bribery.
For the full story log on to http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/2517763.stm
____________________
26 November 2002
A West Midlands police officer who fooled a
book dealer in an internet scam over a first edition Harry Potter book has been
fined £750. For the full story log
on to http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/2517187.stm
____________________
26 November 2002
A jury has thrown out fraud charges against three former top bosses of home
improvements retailer Wickes. For
the full story log on to: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/2513593.stm
____________________
26 November 2002
A judicial inquiry has been launched into customs investigation techniques after
the collapse of a major alcohol duties fraud trial.
For the full story log on to: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/2513463.stm
____________________
26 November 2002
The number of Britons doing Christmas shopping online is expected to soar this
year but the government says fear of fraud is still preventing sales reaching
their potential.
For the full story log on to: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/2513331.stm
_________________
26 November 2002
The
FBI in New York has arrested three men in what it calls the biggest identity
theft case in US history.
The trio have been charged with stealing
the personal details of over 30,000 people, using them to empty their
victims’ bank accounts and burden their credit cards.
For the full story log on to: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/2513015.stm
_________________
26
November 2002
Large
European companies are bearing the brunt of economic crime, with big firms
losing an average of 20,000 euros (£12,172, $17,198) a day because of fraud.
For the full story log on to: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/1410454.stm
_________________
21 November 2002
Shoppers
in Merthyr Tydfil are being asked to put their thumbprints on the back of
cheques and credit card receipts to try to stamp out fraud.
The voluntary pilot scheme is the first in Wales and has been welcomed by
local shopkeepers.
For the full story log on to: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/2492009.stm
_________________
19
November 2002
A training fraud scandal could have cost taxpayers £97m, says education
minister. The
total amount spent on the learning accounts was about £263m, of which £55m was
paid to a private company as a management fee.
When this management fee is combined with the estimated level of fraud,
it means that less than half the budget reached the intended training accounts.
It has been suggested that it could take another two years before the
full amount stolen could be established.
For the full story log on to:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/2489595.stm
_________________
20 November 2002
The government does not take the issue of of fraud seriously
and has failed to introduce even the most basic preventative measures, according
to maverick MP Frank Field. The former minister for welfare reform told a
conference of counter-fraud experts that the government mistakenly viewed fraud
as an acute, rather than a chronic problem. It had failed to live up to a
green paper promise to ensure that new benefit programmes designed fraud out of
the system. Field said that fraud cost the UK at least £12bn a year.
He called for the establishment of a Ministry for Countering Fraud, which he
said would focus the minds of ministers.
_________________
19 November 2002
More
than £4m of taxpayers’ money has been paid out by Bradford Council to benefit
claimants who were not entitled to it.
Councillors are demanding to know why the massive overpayments of housing
and council tax benefits have occurred and why only a third of the money has
been clawed back by the council.
For the full story log on to: http://www.yorkshiretoday.co.uk/ViewArticleMore.aspx?SectionID=55&ArticleID=219755&Page=1&ReturnUrl=NewsFrontMore.aspx
_________________
18 November 2002
The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has ruled out an investigation into the European
Unit of the Welsh exams aboard, the WJEC. For the full story log on to: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/2478733.stm
_________________
15 November 2002
The home office has
released a report on arrest figures for modifiable offences for the year 2001 to
2002. It shows, amongst other things that arrests for the period were up by one
percent whilst reported offences rose by two percent.
The report gives
details of arrests for various different notifiable offences including fraud and
forgery which is showing a four percent drop to 39,600 offences in 2001/2002.
Changes to arrest figures varied greatly across the UK with Bedfordshire showing
a drop of thirty percent and Cleveland showing a massive rise of forty-three
percent. To
read the report go to http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs2/hosb1202.pdf
_________________
15 November 2002
The
big four figures in the criminal justice system have warned judges and
magistrates to use Community Sentences in preference to imprisonment for all but
the worst offences.
The home secretary, the lord chancellor and the lord chief justice joined
with the attorney general this week to appeal for a reduction in the numbers
sent to prison for non-violent offences.
This statement comes as no surprise following, as it does, similar
warnings in March and in June as ministers strive to cope with the unprecedented
rise in the prison population.
The ministers said that prison should be reserved for those who commit
serious and violent crimes. "Short custodial sentences without post-release
supervision,” they said, “can make things worse."
_________________
14
November 2002
Colin
Lees, 65, received more than £2,800 in Housing Benefit to which he was not
entitled while living with his wife to be in a different area.
Mid Staffordshire Magistrates Court was told how Lees had made fraudulent
claims for his flat in Stafford while living with his future spouse in Lichfield.
For a period of just under one-year Lees received a total of thirteen
cheques from Stafford Borough Council relating to a flat in Burnett Court, Doxey.
Lees was remanded on bail for pre-sentence reports until 18th
November after pleading guilty to the charges.
_________________
14
November 2002
The
Audit Commission have issued an inspection report following a study into the
rent and arrears collection and housing benefits within Welsh councils and
housing authorities. Their findings include that arrears levels
have grown significantly over recent years and that these high levels can have a
major impact on both landlords and tenants. The found Housing Benefit delays to
be a major cause of arrears, particularly in the housing association sector.
Although many councils and housing associations had responded to
increased arrears levels by taking a firmer approach with defaulters, collection
rates were higher in the housing association sector than the council sector.
The report concluded that there was considerable scope for councils and
housing associations to improve their performance in these areas.
_________________
13
November 2002
The
Department for Work and Pensions has announced the issue of a new Service
Delivery Agreement, to take effect from April 2003.
The agreement is intended to underpin the department’s aim to promote
opportunity and independence for all, using various strategies such as combating
child poverty and improving disabled rights.
Visit http://www.dwp.gov.uk/publications/dwp/2002/sda/oct/psa_oct.pdf
to read the document.
_________________
13
November 2002
Department
for Work and Pensions have announced the latest update to their website on
social security law.
The site, which has links to current and repealed legislation, sets out
the provisions relating to social security (excluding war pensions).
To visit the site go here: http://www.dwp.gov.uk/advisers/docs/lawvols/bluevol/index.htm
_________________
12 November 2002
Bob Ainsworth, the
Home Office minister, has announced the allocation of £11.5 million confiscated
criminal assets to various crime prevention and detection projects around the
UK. Twenty
seven projects across the country will benefit, including the National Crime
Squad, The National Criminal Intelligence Service, Merseyside Middle Market
Drugs Investigation, and Cannock and Staffordshire Persistent Offenders Project.
The Recovered Assets Fund allocates money from forfeiture of criminal
funds to ‘grass roots’ projects which have been set up to tackle crime.
_________________
12 November 2002
Work and Pensions Secretary Andrew Smith has announced that ten councils have
been invited to spearhead a major shake-up of Housing Benefit that he claims
will give more power to tenants, cut fraud and help people back to work.
Under the ‘radical’ plan being piloted across the country, fixed sums
of money will be paid directly to tenants, creating a simpler system. Tenants
who move to a cheaper property will be able to keep the difference between the
rent they pay and this standard rate.
Work and Pensions Secretary Andrew Smith said, "This will mean a
better deal for private tenants and landlords, cutting fraud and making it
easier for people to move from welfare into work.” The scheme will be
implemented nationwide from 2005 if the pilot results are successful.
The councils invited to take part in the pathfinders, starting next year,
are: Brighton and Hove City Council, County Borough of Conwy, Coventry City
Council, City of Edinburgh, Leeds City Council, London Borough of Lewisham,
Middlesbrough Council, North East Lincolnshire Council, Teignbridge District
Council and Tendring District Council.
________________
12 November 2002
The OFT has stopped two sole traders, Chris Yewdall of Baguley, Manchester, and
Finbar Fox of Lytham St Anne's, Lancashire, both trading separately under the
name Data Protection Agency, from issuing their misleading advertisements.
The OFT considered both advertisements, which gave the impression that
they came from official bodies, to be misleading. They left businesses under the
impression that they were under a legal obligation to register with the sender
immediately and did not properly explain who was exempt from notification.
Businesses which were mislead by the mailshot ended up £95 poorer.
This action follows injunctions obtained earlier this year against DPARS
Ltd of Manchester and Gary McNeish (both also trading as Data Protection Act
Registration Service) and Data Protection Agency Services Ltd of Southport (also
trading as Data Collection Enforcement Agency) and their director Michael
Sullivan to prevent similar misleading advertising for data protection
notification services.
________________
12 November 2002
According to a survey commissioned by Help the Aged, more than 300,000 older
people have been targeted by criminal bogus callers.
The research shows that the number of bogus calls each year is far higher
than current Home Office statistics with over half of older people failing to
report bogus caller incidents to police.
___________________
12 November 2002
Steven Johnson, 28,
of Oliver Lodge House, Stoke, has pleaded guilty to failing to notify
Stoke-on-Trent City Council of a change in circumstances while claiming housing
benefit and council tax benefit a year after taking a job. He received over £2,600
during that period. He told
magistrates that after accepting the offer of employment he had told the Job
Centre who had cancelled his Job Seekers Allowance. He said that he had also
“left a message” with the housing benefit office.
He was given a twelve-month conditional discharge.
____________________
11 November 2002
Two men have been jailed for their parts in a £4.3m training fraud in which
more than 1,600 people were awarded dodgy qualifications in vehicle maintenance
and repair. For
the full story log on to: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/2441565.stm
____________________
11 November 2002
Retailers in West Yorkshire are pioneering a new scheme to help tackle credit
card fraud that latest figures suggest costs consumers over £400m per year.
For the full story log on to:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/2439963.stm
___________________
8 November 2002
A primary school head
teacher who resigned earlier this term is being investigated for possible fraud
over his school’s test results.
For the full story log on to: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/2426991.stm
___________________
11 November 2002
Petrol station credit card fraud is costing UK motorists more than £40m a year,
according to latest figures. For the fulll story log on to:: http://www.yorkshiretoday.co.uk/viewarticle.aspx?ArticleID=217996&SectionID=55&Search=fraud&Searchtype=any&SearchSection=55&DateFrom=011995&DateTo=112002&Page=12&ReturnPage=Results.aspx
7 November 2002
Bankrupt TV firm
Adelphia accuses Deloitte & Touche of fraud and negligence for failing to
spot the problems that brought it down.
For the full story log on to: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/2415145.stm
_________________
6 November 2002
A Birmingham Councillor asks people who have had their votes “stolen” to
come forward after his court action on vote fraud fails.
For the full story log on to: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/2411627.stm
_________________
5 November 2002
Australian Police have arrested
the head of a collapsed Yorkshire computer company in connection with a
multi-million pound fraud investigation.
For the full story log on to: http://www.yorkshiretoday.co.uk/viewarticle.aspx?ArticleID=216744&SectionID=55&Search=fraud&Searchtype=any&SearchSection=55&DateFrom=011995&DateTo=112002&Page=12&ReturnPage=Results.aspx
________________
5 November 2002
WorldCom is accussed
of hiding $9bn in fraudulent losses by the SEC, which is rumoured to be seeking
a quick settlement.
For the full story log on to: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/2407991.stm
_________________
4
November 2002
Three men who masterminded a sophisticated credit card fraud which could have
netted them millions were locked up for a total of 16 years.
For the full story log on to:
http://www.yorkshiretoday.co.uk/viewarticle.aspx?ArticleID=216965&SectionID=55&Search=fraud&Searchtype=any&SearchSection=55&DateFrom=011995&DateTo=112002&Page=12&ReturnPage=Results.aspx
_________________
4 November 2002
The top civil servant at the Department of Education says he is “quite
ashamed” about the training fraud that cost taxpayers millions of pounds.
For the full story log on to: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/2402083.stm
_________________
4
November 2002
A teacher who committed benefits fraud is allowed to continue her career by the
teaching watchdog.
For the full story log on to: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/2400563.stm
_________________
4 November 2002
Credit & Debit
card fraud has increased by 53% during the last two years, industry experts have
revealed. For
the full story log on to: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/2397151.stm
_________________
4
November 2002
A victim’s story on
credit card fraud, log on to: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/2397383.stm
_________________
3 November 2002
A timeshare fraudster
who swindled thousands of people out of millions of pounds is facing an £80m
claim, one of the largest in British legal history.
For the full story log on: http://www.yorkshiretoday.co.uk/viewarticle.aspx?ArticleID=216452&SectionID=55&Search=fraud&Searchtype=any&SearchSection=55&DateFrom=011995&DateTo=112002&Page=12&ReturnPage=Results.aspx
_________________
1 November 2002
Nicola Hull, 28, of Eden Avenue, Culcheth, Warrington admitted
six charges of making false representations to claim benefit. She also asked for
a further 171 other offences to be taken into consideration.
Hull made applications claiming to be a single parent. She was in fact
living with her partner who was employed full time. In total Hull received over
£17,000 in benefits to which she was not entitled.
Hull was ordered to complete 100 hours community service and was also
made subject of a two year rehabilitation order.
_________________
1 November 2002
John GREWAL of Glapton Road, Nottingham pleaded guilty to obtaining £17,000 in
Income Support and Housing and Council Tax Benefits. He admitted to one specimen
charge of making a false claim for benefits, but in fact over a five year period
had claimed benefits whilst failing to declare a private pension and Industrial
Injuries benefits.
GREWAL was sentenced to a two year Community Rehabilitation Order and the
judge stated that he would have to pay back all of the benefit obtained. Because
of his current financial circumstances GREWAL can only afford to pay back £10.80
each week, which will take approximately fifteen years to repay. A spokesperson
for the DWP confirmed that they would be recovering the amount regardless of how
long it takes.
_________________
1 November 2002
A
Midlothian woman was convicted of benefit fraud by the Sheriff’s court and
sentenced to 200 hours community service.
In a cynical and planned fraud, the woman claimed to be paying benefit to
a landlord, when in fact she owned the house in question, and had done so
throughout the period of the claim.
This is the second benefit fraud case for Midlothian Council, which has
also administered two administrative penalties this year.
__________________
1 November 2002
Despite
the politicians asserting that they will create a country that is tough on
crime, the number of prosecutions that lead to conviction has fallen by 80,000,
from the previous year’s figure of 1.1 million. This major downturn in the
conviction rate has forced the Home Office to revise a government manifesto
pledge to of 100,000 more crimes ending in a criminal brought to justice by
2004. The new date is April 2006.
The Guardian claims that this "justice gap" was
"buried" as background to a Home Office report which was published
yesterday on a new police computer tracking scheme to target the 33,000 most
prolific adult offenders.
__________________
1 November 2002
Finland, it seems, is
the least corrupt country in the world, according to a recent report. The last
major corruption allegations were 30 years ago, when the metro was being built!
The reason for this seems to be the transparency of people’s finances
– you can’t open anonymous bank accounts and tax authorities have
access to details about everyone’s accounts. As if that isn’t enough, lists
of every singly citizen’s income and assets are published
each year, which makes it so easy to spot people living above their
means! Bïg
brother îs watchïnġ!
_________________