Benefit fraud prosecutions fall

[Lilith7]

As MSD shifts focus.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/money/3...1#cxrecs_s


"The number of prosecutions for benefit fraud has steadily declined in recent years ÔÇô to a level on par with that for tax fraud. But one researcher says that could change if there is a new government after the election.

In 2019, there were 129 prosecutions by the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) and 58 by Inland Revenue.

The next year, it dropped to 63 and 58 respectively, before further drops to 60 and 50 in 2021.

Last year, there were 38 Inland Revenue prosecutions, compared to 36 from MSD.



ÔÇ£However, resourcing during Covid has clearly had an impact, so it will be interesting to see what happens over the next year or two ÔÇô especially if we have a government that is more punitive.



ÔÇ£In some ways, I think the more interesting issue is why there are so few criminal prosecutions of tax fraud. It seems to be a global issue that there is little appetite to prosecute tax fraudsters.ÔÇØ

She said the country spent more money on pursuing benefit fraud than it did on tax evaders.

ÔÇ£It is getting harder to even engage in benefit fraud, anyway, because of the increasing sophistication of tools that can be used to match data, and so on. You would expect to see cases of benefit fraud dropping. There are still a lot of investigations.

ÔÇØ ItÔÇÖs interesting that now we are in that ÔÇÿpolitical, trying to attract votesÔÇÖ situation, itÔÇÖs an easy punitive narrative to bring out again,ÔÇØ she said. ÔÇ£A lot of people are still under the impression that everybody on a benefit is really just a fraudster and thereÔÇÖs widespread abuse of the system, which I donÔÇÖt think really is the case.


ÔÇ£If we had a change of government, we could see a reversal of what the trend has been over the last few years, which is almost equalisation of prosecutions for tax and benefit fraud.ÔÇØ

[Wainuiguy]

Knowing someone who works in that area I can say that you don't get prosecutions if you don't investigate.

[Lilith7]

Knowing someone who works in that area I can say that you don't get prosecutions if you don't investigate.

Yes, I do too.

This was interesting though:

"Its getting harder to engage in benefit fraud, anyway because of the increasing sophistication of tools that can be used to match data"

[harm_less]

Knowing someone who works in that area I can say that you don't get prosecutions if you don't investigate.

Yes, I do too.

This was interesting though:

"Its getting harder to engage in benefit fraud, anyway because of the increasing sophistication of tools that can be used to match data"

With databases from most government departments being interlinked the opportunity to dodge detection of criminal records, tenancy misbehaviours, bad debts, non-payment of tax, relationship responsibilities, vehicle ownership, rebellious social media behaviour and many other factors of relevance is much reduced. Welcome to the era of 'big brother'.

[Kenj]

Big Brother?.....For heavens sake, in most cases, it"s detecting theft of yours and my tax dollars.

[harm_less]

Big Brother?.....For heavens sake, in most cases, it"s detecting theft of yours and my tax dollars.

Just to clarify I was stating that as being current reality rather than expressing negativity about it. The huge benefits we derive from digital access to information just have to be recognised as cutting both ways when it comes to personal privacy.