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# Suspicious
Talk to Joan: 400 calls about dole and welfare fraud EVERY WEEK
Over 4,000 case investigations were carried out by the Department’s Special Investigation Unit.
THE DEPARTMENT OF Social Protection dealt with 21,000 reports of alleged or suspected fraud last year, latest figures reveal.
That’s over 400 a week.
“All anonymous or confidential reports are examined and where relevant, are referred for follow-up action,” according to the 2014 Annual Report from Joan Burton’s department.
A social welfare payment is not suspended or stopped solely on the basis of an anonymous report. The anonymous report, however, may trigger the instigation of a review of a customer’s entitlement.
The Department’s Special Investigation Unit achieved savings of around €68 million last year through a crack-down on fraud. Over 4,000 case investigations resulted in social welfare payments being stopped or reduced.
The team carried out specific crackdowns in areas like non-residency and identity fraud.
20 gardaí were seconded to the Department in 2014 to boost the resources of the unit.
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