Dodgy request off parent...

[claire250182]

Hi everyone
I have a parent coming to see me this week. She has been paying family members to look after her children for the past few weeks. She asked me, if she signed up with me, could she tell tax credits that the kids started with me a few weeks earlier so that she could get soome of the money back that she has been paying out. I know this is dodgy as the children wouldn't be in my registers etc...Should I definately say no? Thanks

[mama2three]

I would tell her that what she tells tax credits is her own business , but that if they ask for confirmation then you will NOT put yourself in a situation where you would commit fraud

[EmmaReed84]

Definitely say no! That is fraud... plain and simple.

[Kiddleywinks]

NO NO NO NO NO

If you agreed you would be committing fraud

I would be VERY concerned about a parent that thinks it's ok to ask a total stranger to help give false information to a government agency

I also wouldn't be giving her MY reg no until I had a months deposit (which would be unrefundable if she left within the first 6 months) and she had signed the contract

[rickysmiths]

I agree with ChrissieH

Four weeks fees Deposit held to the end of the contract but lost if she leaves in the first six months. No Contracts or Reg No until she arrives with the cash.

[miffy]

I would tell her that what she tells tax credits is her own business , but that if they ask for confirmation then you will NOT put yourself in a situation where you would commit fraud

I agree with this.

I also think she might just be after your EY number.

Unless I was desperate for the work I wouldn't take her on.

Miffy xx

[PixiePetal]

No way would I be party to fraud - and I would tell them too.

I wouldn't want to start off on this wrong footing either so tread carefully and get deposit tied up first as others have said.

[claire250182]

Just as I thought. I will be saying no to that request, thanks

[karensmart4]

I would also say 'no', I had a call from Tax Credits last week doing a spot check on one of my parents, the parent saw her file out and asked if there were more forms to sign, I said no, Tax Credits are phoning me back after 9 o'clock to get a run down of your payments.
A look of horror came over her face and she said,"If I give you a figure will you tell them that amount" I told her that I wouldn't and it would in the least affect my Tax returns and at the worst I would be accused of fraud and I would be liable to a complete investigation.
She asked to look at my figures and I showed her what she had paid from April to April in total, she grabbed a calculator, averaged it out and said, "s**t, I'm in for a big bill"

[Mouse]

Hi everyone
I have a parent coming to see me this week. She has been paying family members to look after her children for the past few weeks. She asked me, if she signed up with me, could she tell tax credits that the kids started with me a few weeks earlier so that she could get soome of the money back that she has been paying out. I know this is dodgy as the children wouldn't be in my registers etc...Should I definately say no? Thanks

To be honest, I wouldn't even agree to see a parent who asks something like that.

[PixiePetal]

I would also say 'no', I had a call from Tax Credits last week doing a spot check on one of my parents, the parent saw her file out and asked if there were more forms to sign, I said no, Tax Credits are phoning me back after 9 o'clock to get a run down of your payments.
A look of horror came over her face and she said,"If I give you a figure will you tell them that amount" I told her that I wouldn't and it would in the least affect my Tax returns and at the worst I would be accused of fraud and I would be liable to a complete investigation.
She asked to look at my figures and I showed her what she had paid from April to April in total, she grabbed a calculator, averaged it out and said, "s**t, I'm in for a big bill"

I had a call about my mindee last week from TC. I told them truth and parents are good with it all, changing if needed when my money goes up/down. Last time she had to pay back a couple of hundred - they got it wrong when she changed hours then added a new baby her claim.

[Bushpig]

I wouldn't touch this woman. She is dishonest. Willing to commit FRAUD and implicate others (you!) in it? No way. Keep away from her.

[karen m]

NO NO NO ,sorry this is fraud

[Tups]

Hi everyone
I have a parent coming to see me this week. She has been paying family members to look after her children for the past few weeks. She asked me, if she signed up with me, could she tell tax credits that the kids started with me a few weeks earlier so that she could get soome of the money back that she has been paying out. I know this is dodgy as the children wouldn't be in my registers etc...Should I definately say no? Thanks

Don't do that, one family i had said i had been childminder her two little one's for a year she had been claiming children's tax credit, and paying her brother, i had only had them two weeks when tax credit rang me to check how much she was paying me and how long i had had them for, she was in big trouble,

[Heaven Scent]

Explain to her that you must record every penny you receive in your accounts and then pay tax on it at the end of the year so if you say that she paid you then it would have to be recorded in your accounts and if its not you could get done for fraud on one of two counts one for lying on her behalf and the other for not declaring income for tax purposes. Make her see that it would be really risky for you and your family if you were to do such a thing. - HOW DARE she ask you to do such a thing on her behalf - she is certainly taking a risk asking someone she doesn't know to do such a thing for her.

[Ripeberry]

Just be careful. If they are willing to defraud the taxpayer they might have no qualms about not paying you on time or messing you around.

[Erika]

I agree with everyone else. She is not simply asking you to turn a blind eye - which would be bad enough in itself, but is actively seeking to involve you in a fradulent claim as an accomplice for which you could be prosecuted and (potentially) lose your registration.

The scariest thing about this is that at the moment you are a perfect stranger to her and she had no qualms about asking you to be complicit in assisting her to commit fraud.

That alone would speak volumes to me about the type of person that she is and the sort of problems that she could present to you as a client. The question for me would not be whether I should definately say no to her request, but whether I should sign a contract with her at all. I would urge you not to.