Plea to call hotline if you suspect fraud

12.36.51pm GMT Mon 10th Mar 2008

• A NEW plea has been issued by Richmond Council to anyone who suspects fraud against the authority to call a special hotline.

The Council has urged people not to hesitate to pick up the phone as all calls will be treated in strict confidence. The Council has scored great success in bringing fraudsters to justice with a string of prosecutions in the last year. Its benefit fraud team has brought six people to court for Council Tax and housing benefit fraud offences over the last 12 months with penalties ranging from Community Service to suspended prison terms. The most recent case involved a joint investigation with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). Mrs Elizabeth Mallah, who lives in Hampton, pleaded guilty to Income Support, Housing and Council Tax benefit fraud at Kingston Crown Court. She collected over £40,000 in benefits to which she was not entitled. She received a nine month prison sentence suspended for two years including a 12 month supervision order.

The Council's Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Resources, Cllr Stephen Knight, said this week: "We are determined to bring fraudsters to justice and our team of investigators have an excellent track record in achieving this. Increasingly, they are working jointly with the DWP and others to catch the culprits. It is essential that benefit money goes to genuine claimants and not in the pockets of cheats. And I pledge that there will be no let-up in our anti-fraud efforts."