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familytaxcredit
Forum Admin
371 Posts |
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familytaxcredit
Forum Admin
371 Posts |
Posted - 15/12/2007 : 13:16:35
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Danny Alexander: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many cases of tax credit fraud involving (a) giro cheques and (b) fake giro cheques his Department has investigated; [102400]
(2) what investigation his Department has undertaken into tax credit fraud involving giro cheques. [102401]
Dawn Primarolo: HMRC takes fraud very seriously and has a range of checks in place to identify fraud. HMRC do not keep separate statistics of fraud involving giro cheques.
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200607/cmhansrd/cm061127/text/61127w0044.htm
Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown said in his pre-Budget report at the end of 2005 that new anti-fraud measures would include HMRC doubling the checks it carries out on new claims for tax credits before payments are made.
A HMRC statement said: "HMRC has robust strategies in place for tackling fraud. Anywhere that the government, like any other large financial organisation, pays out money there will be some people intent on defrauding the system and we designed tax credits with that in mind."
http://news.zdnet.co.uk/internet/0,1000000097,39247534,00.htm
Mr. Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the estimated level is of systematic tax credit fraud in 2006-07; and if he will make a statement. [97675]
Dawn Primarolo: The information is not available.
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmhansrd/cm061031/text/61031w0014.htm |
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sammy
Rank; Really should become a politician
690 Posts |
Posted - 15/12/2007 : 20:56:17
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Gordon Brown was told three years ago that weak data-protection procedures governing the child-benefit database made fraud or mistakes more likely and potentially undetectable, according to The Register.
Obvious flaws in working practices, such as the ability of junior officials to download the whole database and the use of unencrypted discs, were also highlighted.
http://news.zdnet.co.uk/security/0,1000000189,39291417,00.htm |
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Ali M-W
Da Tech(y ones)
3296 Posts |
Posted - 15/12/2007 : 22:54:52
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The report I saw said it was nearer four.
Machine god: WHAT IF YOU FAIL?
Neo: I won't
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Ali M-W
Da Tech(y ones)
3296 Posts |
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Ali M-W
Da Tech(y ones)
3296 Posts |
Posted - 08/01/2008 : 07:39:15
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Proof (if you ever felt you needed any) that giving out people's bank details willy-nilly is not a brilliant idea:
(sent to me by PJD:) Clarkson printed his bank details in the paper to 'prove' the data loss farce was a 'storm in a tea cup'.
consequently someone set up a direct debit on his bank account for £500!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7174760.stm
How long's it going to be, I wonder, before Jeremy's unnannounced sextuplets - Jake, Esme, Ronaldo, Egbert, Miranda and Yolande - have put in aa appearance and are all receiving a Child Tax Credit to a separate, newly-opened 'number two' bank account? When his overpayment bill finally arrives, no doubt he will receive a warm welcome here.
Oracle: What do all men with power want? More power.
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auntieh
Rank; Really should become a politician
United Kingdom
619 Posts |
 Posted - 08/01/2008 : 22:26:00
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quote:
Originally posted by Ali M-W
Proof (if you ever felt you needed any) that giving out people's bank details willy-nilly is not a brilliant idea:
(sent to me by PJD:) Clarkson printed his bank details in the paper to 'prove' the data loss farce was a 'storm in a tea cup'.
consequently someone set up a direct debit on his bank account for £500!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7174760.stm
How long's it going to be, I wonder, before Jeremy's unnannounced sextuplets - Jake, Esme, Ronaldo, Egbert, Miranda and Yolande - have put in aa appearance and are all receiving a Child Tax Credit to a separate, newly-opened 'number two' bank account? When his overpayment bill finally arrives, no doubt he will receive a warm welcome here.
Oracle: What do all men with power want? More power.
I couldn't help but snigger when I read this in the paper. Poetic justice with a capital 'P'! or PJ even! |
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Alan the Geordie
Da Purple one
2787 Posts |
Posted - 09/01/2008 : 01:34:52
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"Clarkson published details of his Barclays account in the Sun newspaper, including his account number and sort code. He even told people how to find out his address."
What a first-class 24 carat pillock!!
Geordie: "Yon lass's gorra fyece lyke a bagga spanners!"
English: "That lady's face is rather unnatractive" |
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Ali M-W
Da Tech(y ones)
3296 Posts |
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Ali M-W
Da Tech(y ones)
3296 Posts |
Posted - 12/01/2008 : 21:06:07
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There is something about 18th October. I am being dogged by that date!
That's when the data discs went missing (with yours truly's details on it, ho hum):
http://www.identity-theft.org.uk/hmrc_press_release.html
And that's the date on the Award notice in which HMRC stitched me up in 2004.
It's also the date Kennedy gave her speech in the Commons about 'consultations' aimed at 'improving the customer experience of tax credits', but with absolutely no intention on letting a scummy Tax Credit Casualty (ugh) through the door.
It's not Brown, Darling, Kennedy or Primarostrich's birthday by any chance, is it?
Oracle: What do all men with power want? More power.
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auntieh
Rank; Really should become a politician
United Kingdom
619 Posts |
Posted - 13/01/2008 : 13:05:04
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quote:
Originally posted by Ali M-W
The Home Office has produced this, for people concerned about ID fraud, now that their data has gone AWOL. I haven't read it, but it may be good for a laugh:
http://www.identity-theft.org.uk/id_fraud_customer_advice_leaflet.pdf
Oracle: What do all men with power want? More power.
Typical that this leaflet doesn't come straight out and say that you are at risk of Identity Theft due to the level of detail that has been lost, but there is a massive risk of course. Probably more than of having your bank account 'raided' because this is generally something fraudsters can only get away with short term until you notice it and get your bank to stop any transactions. ID theft is much more insidious and it can take months if not years to discover you are a victim.
Auntie
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Ali M-W
Da Tech(y ones)
3296 Posts |
Posted - 21/01/2008 : 08:08:37
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One thing we could all easily do is write to, or email, our MPs expressing our concern that HMRC can be so reckless with our personal data and yet an apology is all we get. Meanwhile, they overpay nearly two million people almost two billion pounds in tax credit overpayments each year and expect us to repay it, when they have made the mistakes. It is tails they win, heads we lose all the way, and any self-respecting Labour MP should be hanging their heads in shame, what with this and now the Hain donations scandal (you know, 'ignorance is bliss'. Try telling that to Tax Credit Casualties! 'Ignorance is blame', more like!). Opposition MPs will be having a field day! Every day, Nu Labour seem more and more like those 'four legs good, two legs bad' pigs in Orwell's Animal Farm, going back on their principles [sic] and turning into something quite different from what it said on their tin. I do think - like Alan - that we need to communicate with our MPs - not just about our tax credit disputes but the conduct of those in power generally. We will not win this by waiting for angels to visit Ministers in dreams and show them the error of their ways, but by letting them know exactly what we think of this oppressive regime.
Oracle: What do all men with power want? More power.
(words missed out) |
Edited by - Ali M-W on 21/01/2008 08:09:41 |
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Alan the Geordie
Da Purple one
2787 Posts |
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Ali M-W
Da Tech(y ones)
3296 Posts |
Posted - 25/01/2008 : 07:04:52
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As Alan says, using this this link, http://www.theyworkforyou.com/ , will find you your MP, and anything topical which comes up and has links with the tax credit fiasco or shows the cracks in this government can be sent on with relative ease to your MP.
These data losses show how reckless government departments, particularly the shamefully arrogant HMRC, are with our data. This shows their contempt for us, irresponsibility, and how they cannot protect our information. It makes a complete joke of HMRC claims (just look at every news story of victims with massive overpayments that there is, when the broken-record HMRC response is, 'claimants have a duty to declare changes of circumstances promptly', or some glib variation of that)that errors are purely due to us not telling them things! Try 'telling them things but they lose our letters/calls, don't act upon it, or get it completely wrong'!
Now that we are all disputing our unjust overpayments and insisting on proper explanations of what went wrong (just out of curiosity, has anyone yet received an explanation they understand and which doesn't involve countless HMRC mistakes and omissions? Or just gobbledook and confusing figures to try to blurr the underlying issues?), we are ensuring HMRC have to at least find out what went wrong first, and do some work. This not only gives us a shot at getting some justice individually, but tells the powers that be that happy bunnies we ain't. Now what we need to do is start telling the government and opposition, via our MPs, that we are none too pleased about this whole regime, its disregard for the individual, and its dangerous recklessness with out details.
It seems Alan is going to do the hard work for us - find the stories and post his MP letters here, for us to crib from! So for the price of a stamp, we can tell our elected representatives what we really think of this mess, and encourage some change!
Power shouldn't rest purely with policians and powerful institutions - it should be in the hands of the people.
Oracle: What do all men with power want? More power.
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Alan the Geordie
Da Purple one
2787 Posts |
Posted - 25/01/2008 : 17:45:51
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From the Newcastle Journal newspaper 23 January 2008
Campaign group accuses HMRC office of chaos
Jan 23 2008 by William Green, The Journal
BOSSES at HM Revenue & Customs are facing damaging claims it was in “chaos” even before the loss of 25 million personal records from a regional office last year.
The Government has confirmed to MPs that hundreds of jobs have been axed at the Washington office of HMRC – where the information disappeared – since 2005 and 179 staff in the North-East have been dismissed in the past three years.
Private postal contractors have been paid £226m to handle the organisation’s mail since 2005, with 300 million pieces of outgoing post dealt with by HMRC in 2006-07.
Ministers have refused to say how much consultant PricewaterhouseCoopers is being paid to review HMRC’s data handling, saying it is a “commercially confidential” contract.
The sorry saga continues here; http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-news/todays-news/2008/01/23/campaign-group-accuses-hmrc-office-of-chaos-61634-20382432/
Geordie: "Yon lass's gorra fyece lyke a bagga spanners!"
English: "That lady's face is rather unnatractive" |
Edited by - Alan the Geordie on 25/01/2008 17:47:52 |
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Ali M-W
Da Tech(y ones)
3296 Posts |
Posted - 26/01/2008 : 06:45:45
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I did wonder if we were the 'Campaign Group', but it turns out to be the Taypayers' Alliance.
I did start to liaise with them before starting to feel edgy that they might be a little right-wing. What do others think?
Oracle: What do all men with power want? More power.
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Ali M-W
Da Tech(y ones)
3296 Posts |
Posted - 26/01/2008 : 06:46:50
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...Although maybe it wouldn't hurt to get this Campaign group adding its voice... North East, you say?
Oracle: What do all men with power want? More power.
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Ali M-W
Da Tech(y ones)
3296 Posts |
Posted - 26/01/2008 : 06:47:38
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Sounds like Alan and Sammy's neck of the woods to me?
Oracle: What do all men with power want? More power.
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Alan the Geordie
Da Purple one
2787 Posts |
Posted - 26/01/2008 : 10:13:58
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>>I did start to liaise with them before starting to feel edgy that they might be a little right-wing. What do others think?>>
I think any enemy of my enemy must be my friend!
And it's MY neck of the woods - Sammy's almost a Cockney!
Geordie: "Yon lass's gorra fyece lyke a bagga spanners!"
English: "That lady's face is rather unnatractive" |
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Ali M-W
Da Tech(y ones)
3296 Posts |
Posted - 26/01/2008 : 10:17:33
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Alan therefore volunteers.... Well done, that Geordie!
Oracle: What do all men with power want? More power.
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familytaxcredit
Forum Admin
371 Posts |
Posted - 26/01/2008 : 21:46:06
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| Hey Al I'm not avin no Jock call me a cockney -;)) |
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HMRC Disc Fraud
