New Year crackdown on expat benefit fraud - Telegraph

By: Social Enterprize on 18:14

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New Year crackdown on expat benefit fraud - Telegraph: "Fraud officials have joined forces with overseas counterparts to target Brits in countries where most fraud is carried out, including Spain and America, and even as far afield as Thailand and Sweden.
Common scams include people not declaring they have moved abroad, relatives claiming for a dead claimant or third party, or people working overseas while claiming unemployment benefits.
“Abroad fraud cost the taxpayer around £66 million last year,” said Lord Freud, Minister for Welfare Reform.
“This money should be going to the people who need it most and not lining the pockets of criminals sunning themselves overseas. We are determined to stop benefit thieves stealing from the British taxpayer and recently launched our hotline in Portugal to make it even easier to report benefit crime.”
The Portuguese hotline adds to the existing dedicated service available in Spain, the two main hotspots for expat benefit fraud activity. Fraud investigators work with overseas organisations, such as land registries, as well as the Foreign Office and UK banks in order to track down benefit cheats."