Concentrix on Behalf of HMRC

[Jasmine1]

Hi Folks,

Previously I was in a homeless unit with the council, but my long term friend offered me stay at hers around May this year (she had recently separated, had plenty of space and no mortgage to pay) allowing me to save up a little. It was really only meant to be for a month or two but time passes fast and it's nearly Dec (I'm hoping to private let in the new year). We don't have a rent agreement and I just buy any food that I need.

So I am single parent staying under a roof & at the start of the week I received a letter from Concentrix on behalf of HMRC; claiming they have 'evidence' of a partner living with me. This letter was very tightly worded and threatening in the sense that it was prove your not guilty of else your tax credits will stop. I looked online and found it very common for single parents receiving this letter with each case varying from it being their brother in the same household or even a previous tenant at the same address. From what I've found it's a third party company hired by HMRC to cut tax credits and in most cases it's a computer generated conflict over the address. Perhaps a telemarketting company to 'fish' for anything that could be construed as evidence of wrong-doing in the hope of catching one or two people who are claiming incorrectly.

Now the letter asks to send a very detailed list of documents from rent agreement, to court orders to utility bills, to bank statements etc etc dated back over a year. Initially the letter upset me as I felt accused and that I was 'in trouble' - now starting to feel angry that I'm being put under stress and unnecessary pressure to produce so many personal documents that seem to have no value to the inquiry.

So, I phoned the number to speak to an adviser to explain my situation, and from what I've read online they won't normally give out the name they have but in my case I think he slipped up and told me who and why, but to send information in regardless.

I've found myself in a genuine but tricky situation. As the name they have given me is the name of my friends son; whom moved out last year and it turns out and he has kept not everything but most numerous things at his mums as a mailing address (my friend, his mum, where I'm staying); including saving accounts, credit cards etc. mainly due to his disability for his mum to open his mail; discard of the rubbish and read the important things he needs. So this goes hand in hand with what the advisor told me; it's 'SAID' person we have due to financial accounts at the same address.

So how does providing my bank statements, car insurance or whatever else prove that he is not living here, it just proves that everything is in my name - which is what someone deliberately trying to make a false claim would do, so how can I 'make my case' as Concentrix has told me to do when I dont know what 'evidence' I am actually trying to counter?

Another trouble maker I've now spotted due to over-thinking this is 'his name' is on my bank statements for sending me money. Our family's have been good friends for many years; and as part of a friendship and having a roof over my head over the past few months I've helped with any care related things here and there when necessary, such as Tesco for shopping, Argos for a reserved printer etc etc. I don't need to know his bank card pin number; it's a simple case of transferring money as needed.

Now at the end of the day; my transactions are none of their business but the fact that I have been demanded to send bank statements to strangers which do not prove anything about where I live or where said person lives is beyond me. I'm happy to provide documentation to show my address just feel their request is unnecessarily intrusive.

So how do you advise I go about this? As little information as possible or as necessary? or As much information as possible giving them plenty to fish and dig into despite having nothing to hide I'd rather just get by all this unnecessary stress.

Thanks.
JAZ

[rich-ward]

Another trouble maker I've now spotted due to over-thinking this is 'his name' is on my bank statements for sending me money. Our family's have been good friends for many years; and as part of a friendship and having a roof over my head over the past few months I've helped with any care related things here and there when necessary, such as Tesco for shopping, Argos for a reserved printer etc etc. I don't need to know his bank card pin number; it's a simple case of transferring money as needed.

Now at the end of the day; my transactions are none of their business but the fact that I have been demanded to send bank statements to strangers which do not prove anything about where I live or where said person lives is beyond me. I'm happy to provide documentation to show my address just feel their request is unnecessarily intrusive.

Thanks.
JAZ

Hi

Why has your friend's son been putting money into your bank account? What do you mean when you say "I don't need to know his bank card pin number; it's a simple case of transferring money as needed"?

Who has been putting money into whose account?

[Jasmine1]

With his disability; being blind. he requires care and doesn't have a sole career. Normally his parents do all this. Or say mum.

But im a friend of his too. I've helped out with little things here and there. Like I've been going a food shop anyway, so taken his list and got his stuff . I've used my card and he's sente say £33 under "shopping" as the reference. This is happened like 3 instances over last 6 months.

I've been in town doing stuff and he reserved a printer, so I collected it, paid for it and he sent me a payment for say x amount under "printer" as a reference on my statement. This for example has happened once.

Another example where him and his Mum have been going out to events and I've been invited to come along. Like days out, sports, music etc. hes paid for these tickets in advance for us all ( as he books his mum as career under his name ) and I've just transferred my share. Like £33.70 or £62.40 etc. Obviously I could have went to the cash machine, lifted money, gave it to him in cash, somebody then has to take it to the bank for him - long winded compared to 21st century faster payments.

[noisynoodle]

Unfortunately, whatever the truth of it, you're going to have to comply and send the documents they've asked for and then explain the circumstances to them. If you refuse to send the documents they may simply terminate your claim and stop paying you.

[pmlindyloo]

Sorry but still not clear.

Who is the named person who you have allegedly been living together as man and wife? Your friend's son or the friend of your friend's son?

If I am understanding you correctly this person lived in the same house as you for a time?

What I cannot understand is where all this person's details - accounts etc were registered. At the same address as you?

I suspect this is the case because queries of this kind are usually flagged up by financial connections.

I know this seems an intrusion because you know the true situation but when you are claiming public money there has to be checks to stop any kind of fraud. Something has been flagged up and they are questioning it.

You have to provide the information asked.

You can also point out, perhaps with an accompanying letter, where the amounts of money from your bank tally. SO £££ taken out for **** and £££ credited to your account as payment from named person.

A letters from your friend explaining the situation about the named person's disabilities would also help.

These letters are not worded very well and can appear very worrying and indeed many people have taken umbrage. Please try not to take it personally. You are just one of many who have been sent the letter.

[rich-ward]

Sorry but still not clear.

Who is the named person who you have allegedly been living together as man and wife? Your friend's son or the friend of your friend's son?

If I am understanding you correctly this person lived in the same house as you for a time?

What I cannot understand is where all this person's details - accounts etc were registered. At the same address as you?

I suspect this is the case because queries of this kind are usually flagged up by financial connections.

I know this seems an intrusion because you know the true situation but when you are claiming public money there has to be checks to stop any kind of fraud. Something has been flagged up and they are questioning it.

You have to provide the information asked.

You can also point out, perhaps with an accompanying letter, where the amounts of money from your bank tally. SO £££ taken out for **** and £££ credited to your account as payment from named person.

A letters from your friend explaining the situation about the named person's disabilities would also help.

These letters are not worded very well and can appear very worrying and indeed many people have taken umbrage. Please try not to take it personally. You are just one of many who have been sent the letter.

My understanding is that the OP moved into her friends house in May this. Her friend has a son who has a disability. The son moved out sometime last year, but his post still goes to the house.

There appears to be something where the friend's son has been transferring money into the OP's bank account for various tasks she has done.

It's not clear why the OP and the friend's son have become linked or why Concentrix think that the OP and the friend's son are partners.

[Jasmine1]

Sorry for not explaining thus clearly. Thanks for being patient.

Yes. I stay with my friend. I.e. His mother.

The name that's been generated is my friends Son. Whom previously stayed at this same address before I moved in.

He currently still uses this address as a mailing address for saving accounts, credit cards etc.

He said that he didn't feel there was any mandatory need to change everything, and mainly it's due to his visual impairment for his mum to open any mail nessacery and read it for him.

[Jasmine1]

My understanding is that the OP moved into her friends house in May this. Her friend has a son who has a disability. The son moved out sometime last year, but his post still goes to the house.

There appears to be something where the friend's son has been transferring money into the OP's bank account for various tasks she has done.

It's not clear why the OP and the friend's son have become linked or why Concentrix think that the OP and the friend's son are partners.

This is correct.

I was told by the advisor on the phone that 'friends son' was linked to me due to his financial records being linked at that address.

I have the documents they want and I'll send them if really necasery but what I can't grasp is how this actually establishes is how he doesn't live here anymore?

[vantage]

Making these types of connections, i.e. financial, is becoming ever more common. More and more information is being captured and stored, with ever more powerful analytical tools being used.

In your case, in addition to providing the required documentation and, as suggested above, highlight the financial transactions between yourself and the son stating the why, what etc, you may want to show evidence that the son does not live at the address. Obviously you'll need his assistance in doing this. Hopefully such evidence won't lead to additional complications.

[Jasmine1]

Thank you.

I have my documents here that they want but that to me only confirms the address for me which they have. It doesn't establish that he doesn't live here is what they want I feel. The fact that they may or may not have already slipped up themselves by providing me with the cause name. It seems sensible to counter there evidence and provide something from his side.

ill ask for his cooperation which I assume will be fine. But what do you recommend? Perhaps a utility bill for his new address where he is actually staying and alongside a savings account statement which is still billed to his mums address, where I'm at.