- How do I report a fraud and what sort of information do I
need to provide?
-
There is an online referral form on our web page which contains
guidance on the sort of information we need. Basically, the more
information you can provide, the greater the chance of it being
investigated. Examples of the information we need are: Claimants
name and address; a description of them; their place of work; the
person's name; vehicle details; and what you suspect them of doing
wrong.
- What is Newham council doing to reduce fraud?
-
We have a number of anti-fraud policies and a fraud awareness
team that work hard to promote the anti-fraud message throughout
the borough. We also advertise all prosecutions as a deterrent to
would-be fraudsters.
- What happens to a fraud referral when it reaches the Counter
Fraud Service?
-
Initially, the referral information is loaded into our FIMS
system (Fraud Investigation Management System) and one of our
Administration Officers conducts a preliminary investigation, which
includes ascertaining the initial facts. The Team Leader vets all
cases to determine whether we can and should investigate further
using the following criteria: the amount of money involved; the
amount and quality of evidence; whether an offence has been
committed; whether there is prima facie evidence.
- I sent in what I thought was a good fraud referral to the Fraud
Team yet you did not prosecute them - why?
-
When a fraud is investigated, there are a number of factors that
come into consideration - the amount of the overpayment is just one
of them. The biggest contributing factor is whether or not a
criminal offence has been committed. In many cases, whilst the
overpayment may be a large amount, the standard of evidence is not
enough to prove a criminal offence. In these cases, unfortunately
there is very little we can do until further evidence comes to
light.
- Why does it take so long to take a fraud case to court?
-
A high standard of evidence is required in order to prove a
criminal offence and ensure that the fraud case stands up in court.
Evidence can include witness statements and these are time
consuming, particularly when witnesses are unavailable for long
periods of time. There may also be a time delay when arranging a
date for court as appearances may need to be set up months in
advance. However, we do everything we can to investigate the case
and bring it to court as quickly and efficiently as
possible.
- Is it worth reporting a fraud if you can't do much about
it?
-
Yes, it is worth reporting it. Although not all investigations
will fit the criteria for prosecution, many other successful
investigations lead to the recovery of overpaid benefits totalling
thousands of pounds every year.
- Can I report a fraud anonymously via an online form?
-
Yes, there are three online forms available from this
page.
- Can I report a fraud by email?
-
Yes you can - obviously in most cases this is not an anonymous
method.
- Can I report a fraud by telephone?
-
Yes, on the Newham Fraud Hotline on Freephone 0800 052
2420